IELD

y RICHA RD GARF
GAME DESIGN b

VERSION 1.3 - MAY, 2019

Updates and changes from are New errata added
highlighted in Red.
Clarifications added to Step 2:
Declare a House
New Entries added to the
Glossary
 IELD
y RICHA RD GARF
GAME DESIGN b

STARTER SET COMPONENTS

The components included in a KeyForge: Call of the Archons starter set
are pictured here for identification purposes.

WELCOME TO THE CRUCIBLE…

You are an Archon. Hailed by some as a god, respected by others for
your wisdom, you were born—or perhaps created—on the Crucible, a
world in which anything is possible.
The Crucible is ancient, but ever renewed. An artificial planet hanging in
the center of the universe, the Crucible’s many layers remain constantly
under construction by the enigmatic and mischievous Architects. For raw
22 Damage Tokens 26 Æmber Tokens
materials, the Architects have harvested countless worlds, blending them
into a new whole both familiar and alien to the creatures that dwell there.
Whether lone specimens or entire cultures, the beings brought to the
gus the Supre “Onyx” Censorius
Crucible find themselves in a strange wonderland with no obvious means iant Ar me Miss
Rad

of returning to their former homes. Some thrive, building new societies

and developing new technologies with the aid of the mysterious psychic
substance known as Æmber. Some discard the trappings of their old
lives, adopting the ways and customs of new tribes discovered in this new
world. Others devolve, bodies and minds twisted beyond all recognition,
incorporating Æmber into their very bodies.
As an Archon, you have gathered followers in your journeys throughout
the Crucible, allies who find value in your ageless wisdom and your Logos Untamed Brobnar Shadows

ability to speak to all creatures. With the aid of these allies, you seek
Sanctum Dis

out Vaults hidden throughout the Crucible by the cryptic Architects. Radiant Argus the Miss “Onyx” Censorius
Each Vault can only be unlocked by Æmber-forged keys. Once open, a Supreme Starter Deck Starter Deck
Vault’s contents—the power and knowledge of the Architects—can be
consumed by only a single Archon.
When two Archons discover a Vault, only one can gain its knowledge.
Only one can move one step closer to the secret of the Crucible…

OVERVIEW
KeyForge is a two-player card game in which each player takes the role
of an Archon, and leads that Archon’s deck against their opponent.
When this creature is used, it
A player’s deck represents a team that is attempting to gain Æmber and This creature gets +1 Power. does nothing other than discard
all stun counters on it.
forge keys. The first player to gather three keys is able to unlock a Vault 6 Key Tokens
and win the game. +1 Power Stun

The defining feature of KeyForge is that no two decks are alike. This is
not a trading card game—you cannot craft a deck. Rather, each deck 10 Power Status 10 Stun Status
Cards Cards
must remain as it is. Every deck in existence is unique!

USING THIS DOCUMENT Chain Tracker

24 23 22 21 20 19 -4
CARDS

If you have never played a game of KeyForge before, start by using the 18 17 16 15 14 13 -3
Quickstart document included in the starter set to learn the basics of CARDS

the game. 12 11 10 9 8 7 -2
CARDS

After playing a game using the Quickstart, players can read the full rules 6 5 4 3 2 1 -1
in this document and learn more about the KeyForge setting. CARD

In addition to rules and setting information, this document includes a 2 Chain Tracker Cards
Glossary of important game concepts and terminology that will be useful and Tokens
while interpreting card abilities.
Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9
Fiction and Setting Information. . . . . . page 14
Errata and FAQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 25 2 Unique KeyForge
Archon Decks

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 2
KEY CONCEPTS
This section introduces a number of foundational concepts to keep in
mind while playing the game.

THE GOLDEN RULE

If the text of a card directly contradicts the text of the rules, the text of
the card takes precedence.

OBJECTIVE
During the game, players use their cards to collect Æmber. Players use
Æmber to forge keys. The game ends immediately when a player forges
their third key, and that player wins the game.

READY AND EXHAUSTED

Cards that are in play exist in one of two states.
Ready cards are oriented upright so that their text may be read from left
to right. A ready card can be used during a player’s turn, causing it to
exhaust.
Exhausted cards are rotated 90 degrees to the side. An exhausted card
is not able to be used until it is readied by a game step or card ability.
All creatures and artifacts enter play exhausted.
4
player’s battleline.)
is on a flank. (The flank is either end of a
Staunch Knight gets +2 power while it
Mads Ahm

GAME SETUP
Staunch Knight
259

HUMAN • KNIGHT

Staunch Knight 2
4
CREATURE

CREATURE

HUMAN • KNIGHT
Radiant Argus the Supreme

Staunch Knight gets +2 power while it

is on a flank. (The flank is either end of a
To set up the game, perform the following steps, in order:
1 Place all damage tokens, Æmber tokens, and status cards in a common
player’s battleline.)
©2018 FFG

supply within easy reach of both players.

2

©2018 FFG
Mads Ahm 259 Radiant Argus the Supreme

2 Each player places their identity card to the left or right side of their
play area.
Ready Exhausted
3 Each player places three key tokens, one of each color, with the
unforged side faceup near their identity card.
4 Randomly determine who is the first player. That player takes the first
RUNNING OUT OF TOKENS turn when the game begins. (If players are playing a series of games
OR STATUS CARDS between two decks, in each game after the first, the player who used
the deck that was defeated in the previous game chooses who is the
There is no limit to the number of damage tokens, Æmber tokens, or first player.)
status cards that can be in the game area at a given time. If there is a 5 Each player shuffles their deck and offers it to the opponent for
shortage of the provided tokens or status cards, other tokens, counters, additional shuffling and/or a final cut.
or coins may be used to track the game state.
6 The first player draws a starting hand of seven cards. The other player
draws a starting hand of six cards.
7 Each player, starting with the first player, has one opportunity to
mulligan their starting hand by shuffling it back into their deck and
drawing a new starting hand with one fewer card in it. (This step is
skipped in the Quickstart game.)
The game is now ready to begin.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 3
 SUGGESTED PLAY AREA (MID-GAME)

Opponent’s Play Area

Common Supply

Forged Key
Valdr Ganger Chieftain The Terror Bad Penny
6 CREATURE
~ 5 CREATURE
~ 5 CREATURE
~ 1 CREATURE
~
GIANT GIANT DEMON • KNIGHT HUMAN • THIEF
Valdr deals +2D while attacking an Play: You may ready and fight with a Play: If your opponent has no A, Destroyed: Return Bad Penny to
enemy creature on the flank. (The flank neighboring creature. (That creature gain 2A. your hand.
This creature gets +1 Power. is either end of a player’s battleline.) may be from any house.) “I once thought that these creatures A Bad Penny saved is a Bad Penny earned.
could be redeemed. Now I know better.”

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG
“Gather that Æmber! And you’re welcome.” It takes two to fight, but more is better.
When this creature is used, it – Champion Anaphiel
does nothing other than discard
all stun counters on it. Caio Monteiro 029 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Forrest Imel 033 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Matthew Mizak 101 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Nasrul Hakim 296 Miss “Onyx” Censorius
+1 Power

Stun
Battleline
“Onyx” Censorius
Miss
Status Cards
Gauntlet of Command
ARTIFACT

Æmber
1A each time a friendly creature fights.
Play: For the remainder of the turn, gain
Monztre
018

Warsong
ACTION

ITEM
Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Brobnar Shadows
Action: Ready and fight with a friendly
Dis
guussCtehthneesSoSuriupuprseremme
aadisdiasian“ntOtAnArygrx” creature. (That creature may be from any
RRM
Radiant Argus the Supremee house.)
“I said ‘take me to your leader’ and got a fist to the

©2018 FFG
face.” – Captain Val Jericho
©2018 FFG

Eric Kenji Aoyagi 022 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Identity Card

Discard Pile Deck

Artifact

Unforged Keys

TURN SEQUENCE effect you control combined with the Æmber in your Æmber pool to
forge a key you must do so during Step 1.
The game is played over a series of turns. Players alternate taking turns
until one player wins the game. STEP 2: CHOOSE A HOUSE
Each turn consists of five steps:
Each KeyForge deck is composed of three different houses, which are
1 Forge a key. shown on the identity card. During this step, the active player chooses
2 Choose a house. one of the houses on their identity card to activate, making it the active
house for the remainder of the turn. This active house determines
3 Play, discard, and use cards of the chosen house.
which cards the active player can play, discard from their hand, and use
4 Ready cards. this turn.
5 Draw cards. After choosing a house, the active player has the option to take all
The player taking a turn is referred to as the active player. The active cards in their archives and add them to their hand. (See “Archives” in
player is the only player that can perform actions or make decisions; a the Glossary.)
player does not make any decisions when it is not their turn. If a player controls a card that does not belong to one of the three
Each step is described in the following sections. houses on their identity card, they may (if they desire) choose and
activate that house during this step instead of one of the three
houses in their deck.
STEP 1: FORGE A KEY A player cannot choose to activate a house unless it is either on
If the active player has enough Æmber to forge a key during this step, their identity card or they control a card that belongs to that house.
they must do so. To forge a key, the active player spends Æmber from If a card effect instructs a player that they must activate a house
the Æmber pool on their identity card, returning it to the common other than one in the aforementioned categories, that card effect is
supply. Then, that player flips any one of their key tokens over to its ignored (See Cannot VS Must/May.)
forged side, indicating that the key has been forged.
The default cost to forge a key is six Æmber. Some card abilities
may increase or decrease this number.
No more than one key can be forged during this step each turn, even
if the active player has enough Æmber to forge multiple keys.
Some cards have effects that allow Æmber on these cards to be
spent when forging keys. If there is enough Æmber on cards with this

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 4
STEP 3: PLAY, DISCARD, AND USE CARDS PLAYING CARDS
OF THE CHOSEN HOUSE The active player is permitted to play any number of cards that belong to
the active house during step three of their turn.
The active player may play or discard any number of cards of the active
house from their hand and may use any number of cards of the active ÆMBER BONUS
house that are in play under their control. Eligible cards may be played,
used, or discarded in any order. Many cards in the game have an Æmber bonus below the house icon.
When a card with an Æmber bonus is played, the first thing the active
A card’s house is determined by an icon in the player does is gain that much Æmber. Each time a player gains Æmber
upper-left corner. If the active house corresponds
to a card’s icon, that card is eligible to be played, Gauntlet o f C omany
(for mareason),
nd the Æmber is placed in that player’s Æmber pool (on
their identity card).
ARTIFACT
used, or discarded.
Rules for playing, discarding, and using cards are
described later. Æmber
Bonus
First Turn Rule: During the first player’s first
turn of the game, that player cannot play or
A Brobnar Card
discard more than one card from their hand.
Card effects can modify this rule.
PLAY ABILITIES
The active player may not play, use, or discard cards that aren’t of the
Some cards have a bold “Play:” ability. Such abilities resolve after
active house unless specified by a card ability.
the card’s Æmber bonus is collected, if it has any, and after the card
enters play.

HOUSES ITEM
CARD TYPES Mind Barb
Action: Ready and fight with a friendly
creature. (That creature There
may be arefrom
four anytypes of cards in the game: action cards, artifacts,ACTION
house.) creatures, and upgrades. There are different rules describing how each
card Play: Your opponent discards a rand
“I said ‘take me to your leader’ andtype
got a is
fistplayed.
to the

©2018 FFG
face.” – Captain Val Jericho card from their hand.
Brobnar Dis Logos
Eric Kenji Aoyagi 022 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

ACTION CARDS
When an action card is played, the active
Grigory Serov 067 Miss “Onyx” Censorius
player resolves the card’s “Play:” ability
Mars Sanctum Shadows Untamed
and, after resolving as much of the ability
as possible, places the card in their
discard pile.
Warsong
STEP 4: READY CARDS ACTION

Play: For the remainder of the turn, gain

1A each time a friendly creature fights.
The active player readies each of their exhausted cards.

©2018 FFG
STEP 5: DRAW CARDS Monztre 018 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Gauntlet of Command
The active player draws cards from the top of their deck until they have ARTIFACT

six cards in their hand. After a player completes this step, their turn ends.
ARTIFACTS
If the active player has more than six cards in hand, they do not
Artifacts enter play exhausted and are
discard down to six.
placed in a row in front of the player but
If a player needs to draw cards (during this step or at any other time) behind that player’s battleline, which is
and cannot because their deck is empty, that player shuffles their explained on the next page. Artifacts
discard pile to reset their deck, and then continues to draw. ITEM

Action: Ready and fight with a friendly remain in play from turn to turn.
creature. (That creature may be from any
When a player’s turn ends, if that player has enough Æmber in their house.)
“I said ‘take me to your leader’ and got a fist to the
©2018 FFG

pool to afford a key, the player announces “Check!” so that their face.” – Captain Val Jericho

opponent knows the forging of a key at the start of that player’s next Eric Kenji Aoyagi 022 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

turn is imminent.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 5
CREATURES UPGRADES
Creatures enter play exhausted and are placed in the front row of Upgrades enter play attached to (i.e., partially overlapped by) a creature
the active player’s play area. This row is referred to as the battleline. chosen by the player who controls the upgrade. Each upgrade remains in
Creatures remain in play from turn to turn, and they each have play from turn to turn and modifies the card to which it is attached.
power and armor values that they use to resolve fights, which are If the card to which an upgrade is attached leaves play, the upgrade
described later. is discarded.
If an upgrade cannot attach to a card in play, the upgrade cannot
enter play.

Protect the Weak

UPGRADE

This creature gets +1 armor

and gains taunt. (This creature’s
neighbors cannot be attacked
unless they have taunt.)
Power Value Armor Value

©2018 FFG
Staunch Knight 2
4 CREATURE

HUMAN • KNIGHT
Staunch Knight gets +2 power while it
is on a flank. (The flank is either end of a
player’s battleline.)
©2018 FFG

Mads Ahm 259 Radiant Argus the Supreme

3 Quixo the “Adventurer”

CREATURE
~
Creature HUMAN • SCIENTIST
Skirmish. (When you use this creature to
Jessada Sutthi 265 fight,Argus
Radiant it is
the dealt
Supreme no damage in return.)

Each time a creature enters play, it must be placed on a flank—at the Fight: Draw a card.

©2018 FFG
“...I’ll leave this part out of the memoir.”

far left or the far right of its controller’s battleline. Each time a creature
David Auden Nash 144 Radiant Argus the Supreme

leaves play, shift the battleline inward to close the gap.

The Protect the Weak upgrade is attached to

the creature, Quixo the “Adventurer.”

DISCARDING CARDS
The active player can discard from their hand any number of cards from
Valdr Headhunter Tocsin
6 5 3
Left Flank ~ ~ ~
Right Flank
CREATURE CREATURE CREATURE

GIANT GIANT DEMON

Valdr deals +2D while attacking an Fight: Gain 1A. Reap: Your opponent discards a
enemy creature on the flank. (The flank random card from their hand.

the active house during step three of their turn. Cards are discarded one
“I mean, I think it’s a head...”
is either end of a player’s battleline.)
©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

“Gather that Æmber! And you’re welcome.”

Caio Monteiro 029 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Nicola Saviori 035 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Gabriel Rubio 102 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

at a time, at any point throughout this step. This lets players remove
cards that they do not want to play from their hand, freeing up space to
The Battleline
draw more cards at the end of the turn.

USING CARDS
The active player can use any number of cards from the active house that
they have in play during step three of their turn. Depending on a card’s
Bad Penny
1 CREATURE

HUMAN • THIEF
Destroyed: Return Bad Penny to
your hand.
~
type, the active player is able to do different things when using that card.
A Bad Penny saved is a Bad Penny earned.
©2018 FFG

Nasrul Hakim 296 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

UPGRADES
An upgrade modifies the creature it is attached to and is not used
your hand.
Destroyed: Return Bad Penny to
Nasrul Hakim

independently of that creature.

A Bad Penny saved is a Bad Penny earned.
296

Bad Penny
HUMAN • THIEF
CREATURE

Valdr Headhunter
Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Tocsin
6 CREATURE
~ 5 CREATURE
~ 3 CREATURE
~
USING ARTIFACTS
GIANT GIANT DEMON
Valdr deals +2D while attacking an Fight: Gain 1A. Reap: Your opponent discards a
enemy creature on the flank. (The flank “I mean, I think it’s a head...” random card from their hand.
~

is either end of a player’s battleline.) ©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

“Gather that Æmber! And you’re welcome.”

There are two types of abilities that enable a player to use an artifact:
Caio Monteiro 029 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Nicola Saviori 035 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Gabriel Rubio 102 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

“Action:” abilities and “Omni:” abilities.

Creatures enter play on the flank
of the battleline. When a player uses an artifact, they exhaust the card and then
resolve its abilities.
A player can only use an “Action:” ability if it is on a card that
belongs to the active house.
A player can resolve an “Omni:” ability even if it is on a card that
does not belong to the active house.
Tocsin
3 CREATURE
~
DEMON
Reap: Your opponent discards a
random card from their hand.
©2018 FFG

Gabriel Rubio 102 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Some artifacts require that they be sacrificed as part of the cost of
using them. When an artifact is sacrificed, it is placed in its owner’s
discard pile. A player must still exhaust such an artifact when using it.
Artifacts cannot be used to reap or to fight.
Valdr Headhunter Tocsin Bad Penny
6 CREATURE
~ 5 CREATURE
~ 3 CREATURE
~ 1 CREATURE
~
GIANT GIANT DEMON HUMAN • THIEF
Valdr deals +2D while attacking an Fight: Gain 1A. Reap: Your opponent discards a Destroyed: Return Bad Penny to
enemy creature on the flank. (The flank “I mean, I think it’s a head...” random card from their hand. your hand.
is either end of a player’s battleline.) A Bad Penny saved is a Bad Penny earned.
©2018 FFG
©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

“Gather that Æmber! And you’re welcome.”

Caio Monteiro 029 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Nicola Saviori 035 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Gabriel Rubio 102 Miss “Onyx” Censorius Nasrul Hakim 296 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

If a creature leaves play, the

battleline is shifted inward.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 6
USING CREATURES OMNI
When a player uses a creature, that player must exhaust the creature, Any ready creature may trigger its “Omni:” ability, if it has one,
and the player has the option to reap, fight, trigger the creature’s even if it does not belong to the active house. When a creature
“Action:” ability, or trigger the creature’s “Omni:” ability. Any card effect is used to trigger its “Omni:” ability, the creature exhausts and all
that causes a creature to fight, reap, trigger its “Action:” ability, or to “Omni:” abilities the creature has resolve.
trigger it’s “Omni:” ability is causing that creature to be used.
DAMAGE AND ARMOR
REAP When a creature is dealt damage, place an amount of damage tokens
Any ready creature of the active house may reap. When a equal to the amount of damage dealt on the creature. If a creature has as
creature is used to reap, the creature exhausts and its controller much or more damage on it as it has power, the creature is destroyed and
gains 1 Æmber for their Æmber pool. Then, all “Reap:” abilities the placed on top of its owner’s discard pile. If a creature has an armor value
creature has, if it has any, resolve. (to the right of the card’s title), the armor prevents that much incoming
damage each turn. (For more details, see “Armor” in the Glossary.)
FIGHT When a creature leaves play, any Æmber on that creature is gained
Any ready creature of the active house may fight. When a creature by the opponent. (See “Capture” in the Glossary.)
is used to fight, the creature exhausts and its controller chooses one
eligible creature controlled by the opponent as the target of the
attack. Each of the two creatures deals an amount of damage equal to CARD ABILITIES
its power (the value to the left of the card’s title) to the other creature.
Unless otherwise specified by the ability, the active player makes all
All of this damage is dealt simultaneously. After the fight resolves, if
decisions while resolving an ability.
the creature that is being used to fight survives, all “Fight:” abilities
the creature has, if it has any, resolve. For details on specific terminology that can be found in card ability text,
see the Glossary.
A creature cannot fight if there is no enemy creature that can be
chosen as the target of the attack.
RESOLVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
ACTION While resolving a card ability, resolve as much of the ability as can be
Any ready creature of the active house may trigger its “Action:” resolved, and ignore any parts of the ability that cannot be resolved.
ability, if it has one. When a creature is used to trigger its “Action:” Example: Aaron plays the card Anger (COTA 001), that reads “Play:
ability, the creature exhausts and all “Action:” abilities the creature Ready and fight with a friendly creature.”, and chooses his friendly
has resolve. Snufflegator (COTA 358) to resolve the ability on. However, the
Snufflegator is already ready, so Aaron ignores that part of the ability and
just uses his friendly Snufflegator to fight.

COMBAT EXAMPLE USING CARDS VIA OTHER CARD ABILITIES

If a card ability allows a player to play or use another card (or to fight or
Radiant Argus the Supreme 255 Caio Monteiro Radiant Argus the Supreme 255 Caio Monteiro
to reap with a card), the chosen card may belong to any house unless the
©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG

1 2 ability specifically states otherwise.

return that A to your opponent.) return that A to your opponent.)
this creature. If this creature leaves play, this creature. If this creature leaves play,
from the opponent’s pool and placed on from the opponent’s pool and placed on
Play: Capture 1A. (Captured A is taken Play: Capture 1A. (Captured A is taken
HUMAN • KNIGHT HUMAN • KNIGHT

2 Raiding Knight
CREATURE 4 2 Raiding Knight
CREATURE 4

When using a card via a card ability, any other requirements of using
the card (such as exhausting to reap, fight, or resolve its “Action:”
ability) must be observed, or the card cannot be used.
Players can only use cards they control, unless a card ability
specifically states otherwise.
5
gain 2A.
Play: If your opponent has no A,
Matthew Mizak
5
gain 2A.
Play: If your opponent has no A,
Matthew Mizak

could be redeemed. Now I know better.”

“I once thought that these creatures
could be redeemed. Now I know better.”
“I once thought that these creatures

– Champion Anaphiel
101

The Terror
DEMON • KNIGHT
– Champion Anaphiel
101

The Terror
DEMON • KNIGHT

The Terror
CREATURE

5 ~
THE RULE OF SIX
CREATURE

CREATURE
Miss “Onyx” Censorius

DEMON • KNIGHT
Miss “Onyx” Censorius

Play: If your opponent has no A,

gain 2A.
“I once thought that these creatures
could be redeemed. Now I know better.”
©2018 FFG

– Champion Anaphiel

Occasionally, a situation may emerge in which, through a combination

©2018 FFG
~

©2018 FFG
Matthew Mizak 101 Miss “Onyx” Censorius

of abilities, the same card may be played or used repeatedly during the
Tom, who has activated House The Terror has a power of 5, and same turn. A player cannot play and/or use the same card and/or other
Dis this turn, exhausts the Terror attempts to deal 5 damage to
to fight, and chooses to attack the Raiding Knight. The Raiding
copies of that card (by title) more than six times during a given turn.
his opponent’s Raiding Knight. Knight has a power of 4, and
attempts to deal 4 damage to CONSTANT ABILITIES
The Terror.
If a card has an ability that does
not have a boldfaced precursor,
the ability is a constant ability
Radiant Argus the Supreme 255 Caio Monteiro
©2018 FFG

3
return that A to your opponent.)
this creature. If this creature leaves play,

that is active so long as the card

from the opponent’s pool and placed on
Play: Capture 1A. (Captured A is taken
HUMAN • KNIGHT

2 Raiding Knight
CREATURE 4

remains in play and meets all

Prevented damage conditions specified by the ability. Mother
5 CREATURE
~
is not placed on Constant abilities on a card ROBOT • SCIENTIST

the creature, and is are active even while that card

During your “draw cards” step, refill
your hand to 1 additional card.
instead returned to the “Of course she’s necessary, she’s the mother of all
is exhausted. invention!”
©2018 FFG

common supply.
5
gain 2A.
Play: If your opponent has no A,
Matthew Mizak

could be redeemed. Now I know better.”

“I once thought that these creatures

Applying the effects of

– Champion Anaphiel
101

The Terror
DEMON • KNIGHT

JB Casacop 145 Radiant Argus the Supreme

CREATURE
Miss “Onyx” Censorius

a constant ability is not

~

considered using a card and The game text on Mother is an example of a

©2018 FFG

therefore does not cause the constant ability.

The Raiding Knight has 2 armor, so 2 of the damage assigned to
it is prevented. 3 damage is placed on the Raiding Knight, and 4 card to exhaust.
damage is placed on The Terror.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 7
CHAINS CHAIN HANDICAPS (OPTIONAL)
When playing a game between a weaker deck and a stronger
Chains represent supernatural bindings that are occasionally placed deck, players may use chains as a means to handicap the stronger
onto specific Archons by the Architects: sometimes in an effort to better deck. Chains are used when players want a fair game between two
challenge the Archon to grow and overcome greater adversity, and known decks rather than a potentially unfair competition between decks
other times to penalize the Archon for breaking a rule or a piece of that aren’t known. When playing with new decks, or competing in a
Crucible etiquette. tournament, players will not use this handicap.
A player may gain chains through card abilities during a game. When
a player gains chains, that player increases their chain tracker by the SUGGESTIONS FOR ASSIGNING CHAINS
number of chains gained. When the players have a sense that a particular deck is stronger than
the opposing deck, start it with four chains. From then on, every time
Chain Tracker the chained deck wins three games in a row against that opposing
24 23 22 21 20 19 -4 deck, adjust the number of chains up by one, and if it loses three
games in a row, adjust the number of chains down by one.  
CARDS

18 17 16 15 14 13 -3
CARDS As a player plays more games with their collection, the number of
chains assigned to a deck will fluctuate up and down based on the
Number of 12 11 10 9 8 7 -2 Draw
matchup and how well the deck has performed against the opposing
Modifier
CARDS

Chains deck.
6 5 4 3 2 1 -1
CARD

CHAIN BIDDING
If players are reasonably familiar with two decks they can ignore the
Each time (including during setup) a player with one or more chains would suggested number of chains, and instead bid a number of chains for
draw one or more cards to refill their hand, that player draws fewer cards the right to use a particular deck.
(based on their current chain level, see below) and then sheds one chain Example: Terry and Julie decide to play Mother Mahospot against
by reducing their chain tracker by one. Chancellor Fisher. Mother Mahospot is a deck that both players are
The more chains a player has, the greater the card penalty becomes. very familiar with, feel is quite strong, and enjoy playing. Chancellor
Fisher is a newer deck, that the players are not as comfortable
Chains 1–6: draw 1 fewer card.
playing. The above guidelines suggest they begin with four chains
Chains 7–12: draw 2 fewer cards.
on Mother Mahospot. Julie looks at Fisher, considers a moment, and
Chains 13–18: draw 3 fewer cards.
says, “I’ll play Mother Mahospot at five.” Terry raises to six. Julie
Chains 19–24: draw 4 fewer cards.
goes to seven. Terry decides to let her play it at seven, and plays
Example: Tori has been assigned seven chains. During setup, Tori will Chancellor Fisher.
draw two fewer cards and shed a chain. Then, the next six times Tori
refills her hand, she will draw up to five cards and shed another chain.
After all of her chains have been shed, Tori will draw to the standard WHAT’S NEXT
hand size. You are now familiar with the basic rules of the game. The next section
of this book contains a Glossary of advanced concepts that can be
referenced while playing or interpreting card abilities.
An introduction to the KeyForge setting, with two short stories and
an introduction to each of the houses in the game, can be found on
page 14.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 8
GLOSSARY If a creature gains armor, the gains are additive and accumulate on top of
the creature’s printed armor value.
This Glossary includes a number of concepts and terms players may If a creature gains armor during a turn, the gained armor does not
encounter while playing the game, in alphabetical order. Instead of prevent damage already dealt that turn. If a creature loses armor during
reading this section from beginning to end, players are encouraged to a turn, it is not retroactively dealt damage that was already prevented by
only look up new concepts as they are encountered during play. the armor.
If a creature loses any amount of armor, it loses armor that has been
ABILITY, CARD ABILITY used to prevent damage this turn before it loses armor that has not been
An ability is the special game text a card contributes to the game. used to prevent damage this turn.
Unless an ability explicitly references an out-of-play area (such as a hand, If a creature has a “~” symbol in its armor field, the creature has no
deck, archives, or discard pile), that ability can only interact with cards armor. Such creatures may gain armor through card effects.
that are in play.
ASSAULT (X)
ACTION ABILITY When a creature with the assault (X) keyword attacks, it deals damage
To use an “Action:” ability during their turn, the active player must equal to its assault value (i.e., “X”) to the creature it is fighting before the
exhaust the card. The ability then resolves. fight resolves. (The active player chooses whether this occurs before or
after other “Before Fight” effects and keywords.) If this damage destroys
ACTIVE HOUSE the other creature, the rest of the fight does not occur.
The active house is the house that the active player has chosen for the If a creature with the assault (X) keyword gains another instance of the
current turn. assault (X) keyword, the two X values are added together.

ACTIVE PLAYER ATTACK, ATTACKER, ATTACKING

The active player is the player taking the current turn. The active player See “Fight” on page 10.
makes all necessary decisions for all card abilities or timing conflicts that
need to resolve during their turn. BATTLELINE
The battleline is the ordered line of creatures a player controls in play.
ADJACENT See “Creatures” on page 6.
When a creature card refers to a game element as being “adjacent” to
that creature or being played “adjacent” to that creature, it is referring to BEFORE
a card being in or being played into the position to the immediate right If the word “before” is used in an ability (for example, “Before Reap:” or
or immediate left of that creature. “Before Fight:”), that ability resolves before resolving the game effect of
See also “Neighboring” the reap or fight (but after the card exhausts, if exhausting is required to
use the card).
ALPHA
When a card has the Alpha keyword, it can only be played if you haven’t CANNOT VS MUST/MAY, CANNOT VS PERMISSIVE
played, used, or discarded any other cards during step 3 of your turn. If two card effects are simultaneously instructing a player that they
“cannot” do something and that they “must” or “may” do the same
ÆMBER thing, the “cannot” effect takes precedence.
Æmber is tracked by Æmber tokens, and is used to Example: Anna controls a Pitlord (COTA 093) which reads “While
forge keys. Pitlord is in play you must choose Dis as your active house.” On their
Only Æmber in your own Æmber pool is considered next turn Anna’s opponent plays Restringuntus (COTA 094) which reads
Æmber Token
“yours” for the purpose of card effects. “Play: Choose a house. Your opponent cannot choose that house as
their active house until Restringuntus leaves play.” and chooses Dis
See also: Capture, Keys, Reap, Steal. for its ability. On Anna’s next turn, she both must and cannot choose
Dis, but because cannot takes precedence over must, she only cannot
ARCHIVES choose Dis and must choose one of her other houses instead.
A player’s archives is a facedown game area in front of that player’s If two card effects are simultaneously instructing a player that they
identity card. Card abilities are the only means by which a player is cannot do something and that they may do something, the “cannot”
permitted to add cards to their archives. During step 2 of a player’s turn, effect takes precedence.
after they select an active house, the active player is permitted to pick up
all cards in their archives and add those cards to their hand. CAPTURE
Cards in a player’s archives are considered out of play. Captured Æmber is taken from an opponent’s Æmber pool and placed
A player may look at their archives at any time. A player is not permitted on a creature controlled by the capturing player. Players may not spend
to look at an opponent’s archives. captured Æmber.
If the ability instructing a player to archive a card does not specify where When a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is placed in
the card is archived from, the archived card comes from that player’s hand. the opponent’s Æmber pool.
Unless otherwise specified, Æmber is placed on the creature that
ARMOR captured it.
Some creatures have an armor value to the right of the card title. Armor
prevents an amount of damage equal to the armor value that the creature CHAIN, CHAINS
would take each turn. Armor prevents damage before it is actually dealt. Some card abilities cause a player to gain one or more chains. If a player
For example, if a creature has two armor and is dealt one damage, that gains chains, that player increases their chain tracker by the number of
damage is instead prevented by the armor, leaving the creature with chains gained.
one armor that can prevent damage left for the rest of the turn. If the
creature is later dealt three more damage during that turn, one damage is
prevented and the other two damage are dealt to that creature.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 9
If a player has at least one chain when refilling their hand and would ELUSIVE
draw cards based on the number of remaining cards in their hand, they The first time a creature with the elusive keyword is attacked each turn, it
draw fewer cards according to the chart below. Then, they shed one is dealt no damage and deals no damage to the attacker in the fight.
chain by reducing the number on their chain tracker by one.
Elusive only stops damage that would be dealt by each creature’s power;
Chains 1-6: draw one fewer card. damage dealt by keywords or other abilities still applies.
Chains 7-12: draw two fewer cards.
Chains 13-18: draw three fewer cards. END OF TURN
Chains 19-24: draw four fewer cards.
End of turn effects are resolved when a player’s turn is over—after step 5,
While drawing an initial hand of cards during setup, if a deck has chains the “Draw Cards” step.
assigned to it, the chains also apply to the initial hand of cards drawn as
if you were refilling a hand during step 5. A chain is shed for this initial
draw as per the standard rules. ENEMY
See ”Chains” on page 8. If a card ability refers to an “enemy” game element, it refers to an
element currently controlled by the opponent.
CONTROL
A player owns the cards that begin the game in their deck. When a card FIGHT
is played, it enters play under the control of the active player. When a player uses a creature to fight, the player exhausts the creature
A player can take control of an opponent’s card. When this happens, and chooses an opponent’s creature. Both creatures deal an amount of
that card is placed in the new controller’s play area. If it is a creature, it is damage equal to their power value to the opposing creature in the fight,
placed on a flank of the new controller’s battleline. If multiple effects that and both are “fighting” for the purposes of card effects.
take control of a card are used on the same card, the most recent effect A creature used to fight is said to be “attacking” and can be referred to
takes precedence. as “the attacker” during that fight.
If a player takes control of a card that belongs to a house not in the new If the attacker is not destroyed, all “Fight:” abilities on the attacking
controller’s deck, they can make that house the active house during step creature then resolve. If either creature in a fight has a constant ability
2 of their turn. referencing the end of the fight (example: “after an enemy creature is
If a card that has changed control leaves play for any reason, it moves to destroyed fighting this creature…”), the creature must survive the fight to
its owner’s appropriate out-of-play zone. resolve the ability. Only the attacker can trigger “Fight:” abilities.

COST, AT CURRENT COST “FIGHT WITH”

The base cost to forge a key is six Æmber. This cost may be modified by If an ability instructs a player to “fight with” or “ready and fight with”
card abilities. The modified cost is referred to as the current cost. a creature, the ability is granting the player permission to use the
designated creature to fight. The fight is resolved following the standard
DAMAGE rules for fighting, against a creature controlled by the opponent.
Damage a creature has taken is tracked by placing damage tokens on
FLANK
the creature. If a creature has an amount of damage on it equal to or
greater than its power, the creature is destroyed. Damage on a creature The creatures on the far right and far left of a player’s battleline are on
does not reduce its power. If multiple creatures are damaged by a single the flanks of the line. A creature in this position is referred to as a flank
effect, that damage is dealt simultaneously. creature. Any time a creature enters play or changes control, the active
player chooses which flank of its controller’s battleine it is placed on.
For more details on damage and combat, see page 7.
If a battleline only has one creature in it, that creature is on both the left
DEPLOY and right flank and is considered a flank creature.
A creature with the deploy keyword does not need to be played on
FORGE
the flank of its controller’s battleline. Instead, when it is played it can
be placed anywhere in its controller’s battleline, including between two For details on forging keys, see page 4.
other creatures.
FRIENDLY
DESTROYED
If a card ability refers to a “friendly” game element, it refers to an
When a card is destroyed, it is placed in its owner’s discard pile. If element currently under the control of the same player.
multiple cards are destroyed simultaneously they are put into the discard
pile(s) simultaneously and any non-”Destroyed:” abilities cannot trigger. HAZARDOUS (X)
(The active player determines what order the destroyed cards are put
into the discard pile(s).) When a creature with the hazardous X keyword is attacked, it deals X
damage to the attacking creature before the fight resolves. (The active
If a card has a “Destroyed:” ability, the effect automatically resolves player chooses whether this occurs before or after other “Before Fight”
immediately before the card would be destroyed, which is also before it effects and keywords.) If this damage destroys the other creature, the
leaves play. rest of the fight does not occur.

DISCARD PILE If a creature with the hazardous (X) keyword gains another instance of the
hazardous (X) keyword, the two X values are added together.
When a card is destroyed or discarded, it is placed on top of its owner’s
discard pile. The cards in each player’s discard pile are open information, HEAL
and may be referenced at any time.
If an ability “heals” a creature, remove the specified amount of damage
The order of cards in a player’s discard pile is maintained during play, from the creature.
unless a card ability causes this order to change.
When a player runs out of cards in their deck and are required to draw,
they shuffle their discard pile to create a new deck.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 10
If an ability “fully heals” a creature, remove all damage from the creature. When a card moves from an in–play zone to an out-of-play zone in which
Any creature can be chosen to be healed by a card effect that heals, the identities of cards are hidden from the opponent (such as a player’s
even if it does not have any damage on it. However, if no damage is hand, deck, or archives), any pending effects that are currently or about
removed from the creature, it is not considered to have been “healed” to interact with that card no longer do so, unless a card effect explicitly
for the purpose of card effects that reference healing. states that it interacts with that zone.
If a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is placed in the
HOUSE CHOICE opponent’s Æmber pool. If a non-creature card with Æmber on it leaves
Each turn, a player must choose one of the three houses indicated by play, the Æmber is returned to the general token pool.
their identity card, if able. Some card abilities may restrict a player’s When a card leaves play it is always put into its owner’s appropriate
house choice. out-of-play zone, unless a card effect explicitly states that it interacts with
If a player has gained control of a card that does not belong to one of that zone.
their three houses, that card’s house becomes an eligible choice for that If a card has a “Leaves Play:” ability, the effect happens automatically
player while the player retains control of the card. immediately before the card leaves play.
If there is no legal choice of house, the player plays the turn with no
active house. MAVERICK
If a player is faced with two (or more) “must choose” mandates, the This symbol indicates that a card is a maverick. A maverick
player may choose either of those options. is an extremely rare instance of a card that has left its
standard house and is now a part of a new house. For all
“IF YOU DO” AND “IN ORDER TO” game purposes, treat a maverick as belonging to the house
printed on its graphic template.
If an ability includes the phrase “if you do” or “in order to,” the player
referenced by the ability must successfully and completely resolve the MAY
text that precedes that phrase before they can resolve or perform the
text that follows that phrase. In other words, if the first part of the ability If an ability includes the word “may,” the text that follows “may” is
is not successfully and completely resolved, that which follows the phrase optional. If a player chooses to resolve a “may” ability, the player must
does not resolve or cannot be performed. resolve as much of the ability as they are able.

KEYS MOST POWERFUL

The first player to forge all three of their keys immediately wins A reference to the “most powerful” creature refers to the creature in play
the game. with the highest power. If there are multiple creatures that qualify, each is
considered “most powerful.”
The color of a key has no impact on the game. Future card abilities may
reference keys of a specific color. If an ability requires the selection of a single most powerful creature,
and multiple creatures are tied, the active player chooses among the
For details on forging keys, see page 4. tied creatures.

LEGACY Groups of “Most Powerful”

This symbol indicates that a card is a legacy card. A legacy If a card effect refers to a group of “the X most powerful” creatures,
card is a rare instance of a card that has been brought it is referring to a number of creatures in play that have an equal
forward from a previous set of KeyForge. It is legally part of or higher power than every creature that does not belong to that
the deck it is in for all game purposes, including tournament group. If there are not enough creatures with the highest power
play. to fulfill the group, then a creature with the next highest power is
eligible to be considered a part of the group. This continues until
LEAST POWERFUL the group has been filled or there are no creatures remaining. If at
any point multiple creatures are tied at the same power that could
A reference to the “least powerful” creature refers to the creature in play
qualify them for the group, but there is not enough space in the
with the lowest power. If there are multiple creatures that qualify, each is
group for each tied creature, the active player chooses which of the
considered “least powerful.”
tied creatures are part of the group.
If an ability requires the selection of a single least powerful creature, and
Example: Tom plays the action card “Three Fates (COTA 071) which
multiple creatures are tied, the active player chooses one.
reads, “Play: Destroy the 3 most powerful creatures.” In play there is
Groups of “Least Powerful” an 8 power creature, a 7 power creature, and two 5 power creatures.
If a card effect refers to a group of “the X least powerful” creatures, Tom must select 3 creatures to fill the group and must choose the
it is referring to a number of creatures in play that have an equal 8 power creature as the first creature for the group. There are no
or lower power than every creature that does not belong to that other creatures in play that are tied for most powerful. In order to fill
group. If there are not enough creatures with the lowest power the group the next most powerful creature is selected, the 7 power
to fulfill the group, then a creature with the next lowest power is creature. After this creature is selected, again there is no creature
eligible to be considered a part of the group. This continues until in play that is tied at 7 power, so a creature from the next highest
the group has been filled or there are no creatures remaining. If at power must be selected. Tom thus must choose one of the 5 power
any point multiple creatures are tied at the same power that could creatures to complete the group.
qualify them for the group, but there is not enough space in the MULLIGAN
group for each tied creature, the active player chooses which of the
tied creatures are part of the group. During setup, each player, starting with the first player, has one
opportunity to mulligan their starting hand. This is done by shuffling the
LEAVES PLAY starting hand back into the deck and drawing a new starting hand with
one fewer card in it.
If a card that is in play leaves play (is returned to hand or deck,
destroyed, discarded, archived, or purged), all non-Æmber tokens and
status cards on the card are removed, all upgrades on the card are
discarded, and all lasting effects applied to the card expire.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 11
After a player chooses to mulligan, that player must keep the new POWER COUNTER +1, POWER STATUS CARD
starting hand. When a creature is given a “+1 power counter,” one such status card is
If a player is using a deck that has chains applied to it at the start of the placed on the creature. For each of these cards that is on a creature, that
game and takes a mulligan, they do not shed a chain from the mulligan, creature’s power is increased by one.
but do draw one fewer card than they had before the mulligan as per the
normal mulligan rules. PRECEDING, REPEAT THE PRECEDING
NEIGHBOR If card text instructs players to repeat a preceding effect, the entirety
of the effect before the text providing the instruction to repeat resolves
The creatures to the immediate left and right of a creature in a player’s again.
battleline are its neighbors.
Note: Repeating an effect does not interact with the Rule of Six (see
OMEGA page 7), as the Rule of Six only applies to playing or using cards, not
After a card with the Omega keyword is played, the current step of the triggering their effect multiple times.
game ends. You cannot play, use, or discard any more cards and play
PURGE
continues to the next step.
When a card is purged, it is removed from the game and placed faceup
OMNI beneath its owner’s identity card. Purged cards no longer interact with
the game state in any manner.
The active player may trigger any ”Omni:“ abilities under their control
during any of their turns, even if the card with the ”Omni:“ ability does RARITY
not belong to the active house. When a player uses a creature to trigger
its “Omni:” ability, the player exhausts the creature and then resolves the A card’s rarity symbol can be found at the bottom of the card, near the
“Omni:” ability. collector number. A card’s rarity (common, uncommon, rare, or special)
is used by the deck-generation algorithm to determine how frequently
OFF HOUSE it will appear in decks. Special cards have a different type of distribution
and do not obey the game’s standard rarity rules.
An off house card is any card that belongs to a house that is not the
active house.

OPPOSING Common Rare

When a creature is involved in a fight (either because it was used to fight,
or because it was attacked by another creature), the other creature in the Uncommon Special
fight is the opposing creature.

OTHER COUNTERS REAP

Some cards may refer to counters that do not have official components When a player uses a creature to reap, the player exhausts the creature,
to represent them. Players can use any available resources to represent gains 1 Æmber for their Æmber pool, and then all “Reap:” abilities on
these counters such as coins, slips of paper, or even poker chips. These the creature resolve.
counters have no inherent rules, instead the card that creates them
provides context to how the counters function. REPEAT
LIST OF COUNTER TYPES: If card text instructs players to repeat an effect, the entirety of the effect
resolves again including the text to repeat the effect. If the card that
- Doom Counters is creating a repeating effect is removed from play, the effect can no
longer repeat.
PAY
Note: Repeating an effect does not interact with the Rule of Six (see
If a player must pay Æmber to an opponent, the Æmber is removed from page 7,) as the Rule of Six only applies to playing or using cards, not
the paying player’s pool and added to the opponent’s pool. triggering their effect multiple times.

PLAY See also “Preceding.”

When a card has a “Play:” ability, the effect occurs any time the card is RETURN
played. For creatures, artifacts, and upgrades, the ability resolves after
the card enters play. For action cards, the ability resolves, and then the When captured Æmber is returned, it is placed in the opponent’s Æmber
card is immediately placed in its owner’s discard pile. pool.

If an ability “plays” a card from a source other than hand, “Play:” SACRIFICE
abilities on the card resolve. If an ability “puts” a card “into play,”
“Play:” abilities on the card do not resolve. When a player is instructed to sacrifice a card, that player must discard
that card from play.
POISON When a card is sacrificed, that card is considered to have been
Any damage dealt via the power of a creature with the poison keyword destroyed, and any “Destroyed:” abilities the card has resolve.
during a fight destroys the damaged creature. This occurs when the A player cannot sacrifice a card they do not control.
damage is successfully applied to the opposing creature.
Poison has no effect if all of the damage is prevented by armor or
prevented by another ability—poison only resolves when one or more
damage is successfully dealt.
Poison refers only to damage that would be dealt by the creature’s
power, not by damage that is dealt by keywords or other card abilities.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 12
SEARCH TAUNT
When a player searches a game area (such as a deck), that player looks If a creature has the taunt keyword, any of its neighbors that do not
at all the cards in the specified area without showing those cards to the have the taunt keyword cannot be attacked by an enemy creature that is
opponent. A player may choose to fail to find the object of a search. being used to fight.
If an entire deck is searched, the deck must be adequately shuffled upon In the battleline, taunt creatures are slid slightly forward to indicate their
completion of the search. presence to the opponent.
If a discard pile is searched, the cards are kept in the same order.

SELF-REFERENTIAL TEXT
If a card’s ability refers to its own title, that reference is only to itself and Champion Anaphiel
6 1
not to other copies of the card.
CREATURE

KNIGHT • SPIRIT
Taunt. (This creature’s neighbors cannot
Hunting Witch Quixo the “Adventurer”
2 CREATURE
~
be attacked unless they have taunt.)
“Steel thyself, knave. To harm them you must first
defeat me.”
3 CREATURE
~

©2018 FFG
HUMAN • WITCH HUMAN • SCIENTIST
Each time you play another creature, Skirmish. (When you use this creature to

SKIRMISH gain 1A.

“What is it? Is it food?”
Forrest Imel 239 Radiant Argus the Supreme fight, it is dealt no damage in return.)
Fight: Draw a card.

©2018 FFG

©2018 FFG
“...I’ll leave this part out of the memoir.”

David Auden Nash 367 Radiant Argus the Supreme David Auden Nash 144 Radiant Argus the Supreme

When a creature with the skirmish keyword is used to fight, it takes no

damage from the opposing creature when the damage from the fight
Champion Anaphiel (center) has the
is dealt. taunt keyword, and is pushed slightly
This applies only to damage that would be dealt by the opposing forward in the battleline.
creature’s power, not by damage that is dealt by keywords or other
card abilities. “THIS WAY”
If an ability refers to an effect that occurred “this way,” it is referring to
SPLASH an effect that was produced by the same resolution of that same ability.
When an ability deals damage to a creature “with splash damage,” the
splash damage is dealt to each of the target creature’s neighbors. TURN
A turn consists of one player performing the five steps detailed in the
STEAL game’s turn sequence, which are:
When an ability steals Æmber, the stolen Æmber is removed from the 1 Forge a key.
opponent’s Æmber pool and added to the Æmber pool of the player 2 Choose a house.
resolving the steal ability.
3 Play, discard, and use cards of the chosen house.
If an ability steals more Æmber than a player has remaining in their pool,
4 Ready cards.
the ability steals only the amount remaining in the pool.
5 Draw cards.
STUN, STUN STATUS CARD
When a creature becomes stunned, place a stun status card on it. The
TRAITS
next time that creature is used, the only effect of it being used is the Traits are descriptive attributes (such as “Knight” or “Specter”) that may
creature exhausts and the stun status card is removed instead of anything be referenced by other cards. Traits are listed at the top center of a card’s
else happening. The creature does not reap or fight, and any “Reap:,” text box.
“Fight:,” or “Action:” abilities on the creature do not resolve. Traits have no inherent game effect, but may be referenced by
If a card effect causes a creature to be used while it is stunned, the card abilities.
creature is exhausted and the stun status card is removed, just as if the
creature had been used normally. UNFORGE
Constant abilities and abilities that do not require the creature to reap, If a previously forged key is “unforged,” flip the key token to its unforged
fight, or be used are still active. side. The key no longer counts toward its controller’s victory condition
and must be forged again to win the game.
If a stunned creature is attacked, it still deals damage to the attacking
creature during the fight.
USE
While a creature is stunned, it cannot have another stun status card See “Using Cards” on page 6.
placed on it. If an effect attempts to stun a stunned creature that effect
does not stun the already stunned creature.

SWAP
If two game elements are swapped, they exchange places with
one another.
When two creatures are swapped, they exchange positions. This means
that each takes the position in the battleline of the other. The two
creatures swapped must always be controlled by the same player.
If cards from two distinct game areas are swapped (such as a card in play
and a card in hand), the cards switch game areas.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 13
THE LUCKY SIDE
by Daniel Lovat Clark
Dodger raced up the knife-edge of the crystal spur and ran himself right “Well its spines are Æmber, ain’t they?” said Dodger, flicking one
out of room. Behind, an angry mountain of scales, teeth, and hate—ahead purple-black finger to where the crystalline spines piercing through its
a fall to certain death. So Dodger hurled himself out into Luck-knew- scales glowed with a blood-red light in the gloom of the ravine. “And
what, felt his hands catch on a rough tangle of razorwhip vines, and herself needs Æmber, she said.”
swung himself out and up as the crystal shattered behind him.
“And you’ve brought it straight to us,” Valdr said as the thing began
The toothy thing behind him let out a roar so loud that Dodger’d swear climbing the rock wall toward them, all scrabble and snarl. “How
it gave his swing just the fling it needed to land him on the far side of thoughtful.” She lifted her rocket-hammer and thumbed the catch, wak-
the ravine. He teetered on that edge, saw the glimmering spears of the ing the engine that grumble-mumbled within its massive steel head.
crystal canyon below, the grand sweep of the golden plains beyond, She frowned as Dodger slipped behind her, all innocence, ma’am.
the shining swamp, the shadow of the Sanctum above, till he finally “What is it, do you know?”
tottered off his teeter onto the Lucky side of things.
“Well, it’s a snufflegator, ain’t it,” said Dodger.
Safe. For a moment.
“So you don’t know,” Valdr replied. As the snufflegator streaked over the
He took a deep breath and fiddled with his damn cloak. It was out of edge of the cliff, teeth-and-roar first, she brought her hammer down,
Æmber. No fading into the shadows for Dodger, not now anyhow. “Ah, a thunderbolt on its skull, bang! It twitched once, then lay still. “Gather
it’s no fun when it’s easy anyway,” he muttered, glancing down into the that Æmber,” Valdr said, turning to go. “And you’re welcome.”
ravine. The teeth with legs—too many legs—had scrambled down the
Dodger giggled and extended his wrist-knife as he crouched by the
cliff face and reared up, snuffling the sky with its scaly serpentine snout.
thing’s dead head. Maybe he could skim a little Æmber off the top,
“What did you do, tiny?” Valdr’s voice boomed with laughter as she recharge his cloak, spare a little for his guild back home? The Archon
stepped to the edge of the cliff, watching the beast scrabble forward. would never miss it, would she, wouldn’t grudge Dodger a little taste
Dodger looked up, and up, and up, two or three Dodgers high to where of the honey in the pot? He dug at the first spine, feeling it warm and
the Brobnar giant’s head was haloed by the sun far above. singing beneath his touch. But before he could decide whether to slip it
into a hidden pocket or not, she was there: Miss “Onyx” Censorius, the
He flashed his best grin, his getting-out-of-trouble grin, his teeth
Archon herself, leaning over him, as curious and beautiful and impossi-
white in the shadows of his inky-dark face, like a flashing knife in the
ble as ever.
shadows proper.
“Uh, hullo, m’lady,” Dodger managed, placing the Æmber spine on
the ground next to him and starting on the next and never dreaming
of taking a little of his own out, not faithful Dodger, no. “Plenty of good
Æmber here. Should be more’n enough to forge you one of them keys
you was asking for.”
“Yes,” she said. “But the material alone isn’t enough, Dodger. Courage
is what makes this key.” She reached out one perfect finger to touch
the broken beast’s broken snout. Dodger wondered what the others
saw when they looked at her, at Onyx. To him, she was a vision, an elf
like him but yet unlike, taller, radiant with light. Breath-taking, in the
literal sense. She had some of the strength of Valdr’s Brobnar giants,
too, powerful arms, broad shoulders…but the same dispassionate,
terrible focus of the worst of the demons of Dis. When she looked at
him, Dodger wasn’t certain if he was a bug on a pin in her collection,
or her best earner, or her next meal.
He realized she was still talking. “And for Courage, we must first have
Fear.” She stood, gathering up the last of Dodger’s Æmber
spines, then tucked one into the inside pocket of his coat.
“Be brave, Dodger. For me?” She smiled and Dodger
nodded, dumbstruck.
“Brave about what?” he wondered, as the first of the
snufflegator’s starving children squirmed free from its
body, teeth-first…

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 14
THE CRUCIBLE
“I got a pretty good look as the Quantum was breaking apart on approach. The answer seems to be the archons. Child gods, or manifestations of
A massive planet, an unfinished shell above, and that world-piercing, a central AI, or transcended mortals, or beings of pure energy. No one
impossible spire. And above even that, behind us—I think even from knows. The archons themselves don’t know or won’t tell. But they travel
space, we may have been inside the thing.” across the Crucible, studying the people and animals they find, always
— Captain Val Jericho, United Stars Starship Quantum eager to learn more about their surroundings.

“The Mintaran grub-ant has no concept that it is inside a terrarium, no The archons are strange beings, difficult for mere mortals to under-
awareness of the world outside. Some days, I wonder if I’m the grub-ant.” stand. They have bodies only when they choose to, existing at other
— Quixo the “Adventurer” times as a disembodied consciousness or glowing energy being.
The only trait that they all seem to share is their ability to speak to all
The massive world at the heart of the universe. The melting-pot, where sentient beings. Otherwise, they are as diverse in appearance and char-
ten thousand times ten thousand worlds meld together, aliens and AIs acter as the Crucible itself.
and ancient societies thrust together in unexpected ways. They call it
the Crucible. Archons commonly seek out companions for their journeys, and they
are always on the lookout for the mysterious vaults of the Crucible,
No one knows when it was built, save to say “long, long ago.” No one secret caches of wisdom, power, or understanding that only the archons
knows who built it, except to say “the Architects.” And no one knows its can access. To open a vault, archons must contest with one another
purpose, unless it is truly only what it seems: a place to bring parts of in a race to gather the necessary æmber and forge the keys the vault
every planet, every species, every culture in the galaxy together. requires. This contest has elements of a sacred ritual, a sporting event,
and a bareknuckle back-alley brawl, all mixed together. The exchanges
From the surface, it seems like any other planet. It has gravity (some-
almost inevitably turn violent, but deaths are rare. In fact, thanks to the
times more, sometimes less), an atmosphere (sometimes breathable,
advanced technology and unusual abilities available to archons, most
sometimes toxic). Plants, animals, mineral formations, ruins of civiliza-
such contests are advantageous to their followers. When the archons
tions gone by—to walk on the Crucible is to explore not just one alien
successfully open a vault, they find within a treasure trove of wisdom,
world, but all of them. From the floating cities of the Sanctum to the
technology, and some undefinable energy that the archons absorb
crystal forests of the Æmberwood, from the towering shoulders of
directly. Aside from this unique energy, the spoils of the vault are com-
Sleeping Giant Mountain to the quicksilver pools of Arygrum Bog, from
monly shared with the archon’s followers—a powerful incentive to join
the windswept red plains of Nova Hellas to the bottomless canyons of
an archon’s company.
Echoing Deep, there is no end to the wonders the Crucible has to offer.
For some, the promise of such treasure is reason enough to follow an
And the people! From a hundred thousand worlds and a hundred
archon into danger, but others have nobler intentions. Traveling with an
million cultures, all living shoulder-to-shoulder-to-tentacle across the
archon is always exciting, a never-ending cavalcade of the unexpect-
Crucible. Whether in roving bands or quiet villages or bustling cities,
ed. On the Crucible, “exciting” is often synonymous with “deadly,” but
towering fortresses or serene temples, merchants or brigands or kings
archons can possess powers and abilities to keep their followers (rela-
or scientists, the people! With so many different species and cultures
tively) safe, from healing powers to the gift of foresight. If nothing else,
living side-by-side, the old nations and empires of the homeworlds are
the archon’s gift of tongues can let their followers meet peaceably with
gone—mostly. The elves of the Shadows or the Brobnar tribes might still
other tribes and nations with whom they would otherwise have no way
keep their own communities aloof, but they also walk the streets of the
to communicate. Archons of a more warlike bent may attract followers
Crucible’s many cities, just like everyone else. The Martian Empire might
who wish to keep their communities safe, or who relish the chance to
be a bunch of conquering xenophobes, but their people still slip away
lash out against enemies known and unknown. There’s always someone
to catch the latest Rolling Bugs concert just like everyone else. The innu-
willing to risk everything in service to such a powerful and enigmatic
merable houses of the Crucible, many of them rose up on the Crucible
being.
itself, but even the ones that came from a homeworld, like the Shadows,
now count aliens among their number. The Crucible changes everyone, And when the archons open enough vaults and move on, to wherever it
given enough time. is archons go, their followers are usually left better off for the experi-
ence. And only rarely suddenly abandoned deep in a hostile part of the
If nothing else, it changes your perspective. Because above it all rises
Crucible where they will surely meet their doom.
the Spire, that impossible tower that rises from the pole and climbs to
space. And from the spire spreads, what? An unfinished layer of the
Crucible? A mighty spaceport, reserved for the use of the Architects?
Who can guess? But stare into the clear blue sky long enough, and
you’ll swear you see the trusses and scaffolding of a world under con- KEYS
struction. The Crucible, impossible and gigantic and artificial, and ever I helped Miss Onyx forge her third key. It…did not go the way I
growing, ever evolving. thought. I knew it would be made of æmber, that much I got right,
but I thought we would place it on my forge, strike a few blows with
the hammer, get the shape of the stuff just so, and that would be
ARCHONS that. But her ladyship couldn’t have been less interested in what it
looked like.
“To a shy lad from a tiny village, it was like an angel had come down to
walk among us. I was right, in a way, and yet terribly, terribly wrong.” She took the æmber, still glowing-hot, from my tongs. “This will
do,” she said. “Now, we must teach this key to experience joy. What
— Commander Remiel, Knight of the Sanctum
brings you joy, Valdr?”
“You look at us and think: you are as unto a god, but we look at you and I thought about that for a minute. “Those fluff pastries Dodger found
think: this marvelous being is something I can never truly understand. in the last village,” I said.
We are all here to learn from one another, whether in peace or in
conflict. That must be the Crucible’s purpose.” “Those were delicious,” Miss Onyx agreed. “Let’s see if Dodger has
— Miss “Onyx” Censorius, Archon any left.”

Life on the Crucible came from elsewhere. This is widely understood,

widely acknowledged. Disparate worlds, mashed together and nudged
along by the robotic fairies that most assume are creations of the
Architects, all kept in some sort of balance. Then what is unique to the
Crucible?

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 15
THE HOUSES OF THE CRUCIBLE
This section introduces the houses of the Crucible that players might encounter during play. Additional houses may reveal themselves in the future.

To the rest of the Crucible, the Brobnar are dangerous enemies and
BROBNAR valuable allies. Some warclans extract tribute from their neighbors, and
others hire themselves off as mercenaries. Many Brobnar spend time
Whether they’re descending from snowy mountaintops living with other peoples, showing off Brobnar strength and learning
to raid, riding grumbling motorsteeds across the blast- (sometimes painfully) about life on the Crucible. Every now and again,
ed wastes, or laughing in the rain on the stormy seas, one learns the most valuable lesson of all: that as strong as they are
the warclans of the Brobnar are always a fearsome apart, every giant, goblin, or other creature is stronger working togeth-
sight. A varied people, each Brobnar warclan is ruled er…and when this happens, the whole Crucible trembles!
by the strongest—whether that strength is shown on the
field of battle, in the Champion’s Ring, or demonstrated by SOCIETY
sheer force of personality and brilliance. Most Brobnar are giants, powerful humanoid creatures nearly 3 meters
Although the oral traditions of the giants describe a journey from the tall with mottled skin in a variety of shades. They tend to wear their hair
mythical land of Vanhalla, most scholars believe that the Brobnar cul- in brightly-colored crests, with long beards for those who care to grow
ture as it exists today was created on the Crucible, perhaps through a them, and adorn themselves with tattoos and sigils of their clan. The
merger of the early giants and the first goblin tribes they encountered. Gargantes clan, for example, decorates their bodies with blue tattoos
Through the centuries, the Brobnar have evolved their own unique to celebrate their escape from the Ice-Maze of the Robo-Sorcerer. (The
identity, independent of any of the member tribes they have absorbed. Gargantes treasure horde also features the Skull of the Sorcerer, which
looks almost exactly like a tin can.)
First, the Brobnar value strength above all. In Brobnar society, each is
entitled only to what their strength allows them to take, and an oppo- Long ago, a large population of small, clever goblins joined the Brob-
nent or rival without the strength to defend their property has no claim nar people. They are mostly relegated to second-class, servant status
to it. Second, Brobnar are very conscious of their image and the projec- due to their small size and perceived weakness, but goblins are a tough
tion of strength—to be seen as weak is the same as being weak. Third, gritty breed, and a handful of them have risen as respected leaders and
the Brobnar love loud music, strong alcohol, and shiny things. shamans even among the giants.
The Brobnar, on the whole, will accept anyone into their clans, so long
as that person is strong-willed and eager to fight!
TECHNOLOGY
Although they seem brutish and simple to some more civilized peoples,
Brobnar are great proponents of any technology that is loud, destruc-
tive, or preferably both. A violent people prone to injury and misad-
venture, they make widespread use of cybernetic replacements and
augmentation. They favor weapons that allow them to engage their
enemies directly and revel in their great strength, but even their axes,
hammers, and smashing gauntlets are often enhanced with engines,
rockets, and other innovations that make them louder and more pow-
erful. (Also, in many cases, more dangerous to the user, but Brobnar
don’t usually mind that.) Since they value strength, they use their
æmber as a source of power for certain machines, or even adorn
their bodies with it to make themselves stronger.
Brobnar goods are individually hand-made by artisans, with mini-
mal existing industrial infrastructure. As such, they are made to last
and an artisan whose products are durable, beautiful, and noisy
can be as esteemed as any warrior. Brobnar also have a keen eye
(and ear) for beauty…by Brobnar standards. Others may find
their art and music to be, mainly, “loud.”
ARCHONS
Brobnar are an intensely physical people and find the
more ethereal nature of the archons puzzling. If an
archon wants the respect of the Brobnar, they must
manifest physically and then display strength of either
will or body, neither of which is generally difficult for
archons. Once they have proven themselves, archons
find that the Brobnar are loyal and excellent companions,
jovial and direct. Many archons with Brobnar allies find
themselves wearing physical bodies more and more often,
enjoying the simple and universal pleasures of such a form.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 16
DIS The fact that these theories are exactly the same as the “superstitious”
stories with fancier words is one those same Theorists dismiss as hooey,
There are stories told across the Crucible of terrible repeating the exact same explanation, only slower.
monsters that dwell in the space between worlds.
These creatures burst forth from the ground to terrify SOCIETY
innocent people, their capering imps stealing æmber
and their powerful demons destroying any who The demons of Dis are, despite the myths, creatures of flesh and blood,
would oppose them. Those unlucky or foolish enough or at least skin (or insectile chitin) and ichor, in addition to the techno-
to travel to their netherworld home, known as Dis, are logical nightmare-horror of their many cybernetic augmentations. It
never heard from again. is not clear whether all demons are of the same species beneath their
cryptic masks, or whether demonhood is bestowed upon various crea-
The half-living demons, the stories continue, are creatures of the tures through some sinister process. Volunteers to study the question
between-worlds and so they have no life, no pain, no joy to call their are, understandably, in short supply.
own. Instead, they must steal these things from the innocent people of
the Crucible. They seek out the most extreme emotions and consume The demons are served by imps, chaotic and often mischievous robotic
them for sustenance. Where there is great rage, there lurks a demon, beings, driven by an intelligence scarcely less frightening than their
stoking the fires of animosity and harvesting the emotions, the very demonic masters.
soul, of the wrathful being. Greed, fear, suffering—all these emotions, The less said of humans who join the faction willingly, the better.
the demons cause in mortal folk in order to harvest them and return
them to their evil lairs. TECHNOLOGY
Dis machines are part sorcery and part high technology, and the
The Theorists of Logos deride such tales as superstitious folly, and
demons infuse æmber into every facet of their devices so that they, too,
explain that the demons are merely parasitic beings that make their
can capture the emotions of their victims. The furnaces of Dis burn with
home in the suprastructure of the Crucible that divides this layer from
intense heat, where their black iron is smelted, and “souls” (or imprint-
the one below it. Emotionally numb due to the lack of stimulus in this
ed emotions) are broken down into their core elements for demonic
space, the “demons” use the psycho-reactive properties of æmber
consumption. These same blasted æmber shards are then incorporated
to capture emotional and mental imprints of other residents of the
into the imps and other self-aware machines used by the demons, and
Crucible, returning them to Dis for later study or perhaps recreational
sent out to gather more æmber and more souls.
experience.
Even when not functionally required, Dis devices tend to have sharp
edges, a scalding touch, spikes, and a host of other opportunities for
the unwary to injure themselves.
ARCHONS
Archons are the only beings on the Crucible who can be said to truly
communicate with the demons of Dis, and many of them find the
demons endlessly fascinating. Dis’s devotion to the extremes of sensa-
tion and emotion may be particularly attractive to archons who struggle
with empathizing with the mortal condition—some archons have even
requested the demons introduce them personally to the concepts of
pain and fear.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 17
LOGOS SOCIETY
Logos divides itself, in very broad terms, into two groups: Theorists and
The self-proclaimed “foremost” intellectuals and Mechanists. Each considers the other to be their intellectual inferior,
scholars on the Crucible are all found within the and each is convinced that the most important contributions to science
Society of Logic and Reason, or simply Logos. and technology have been made thanks to their efforts.
Any Logotarian would happily confirm this fact if
asked, or if not asked, or if given any opportunity Theorists concern themselves with the realm of pure reason and
to speak at all. possibility, where new theories are constantly developed in an effort
to decode the secrets of the universe, both as it is and as it might be.
Logos has devoted itself to the advancement of scientific knowledge Anything that can be demonstrated through math and reason is seen
and understanding, putting aside as many earthly (or at least fleshly) as potentially true; everything else is to be regarded with suspicion and
concerns as it can manage through use of its advanced technology. attacked rigorously until a theoretical model is found. Mechanists, on
Individual Logotarians often replace some or all of their bodies with the other hand, deal with empirical data and the world as-it-is. A theory
machines over the years, allowing them to escape the distractions of is useless if it cannot be tested, and a technology is unproven until it is
a physical form, and continue their work long after sickness or death built and shown to work.
would otherwise claim them. In fact, the use of cybernetic bodies is so
widespread that no one outside the Society can recall what the physical Logos is happy to accept brilliant members of all species into its ranks;
bodies of the original Logotarians looked like, or even if they came to after all, few of them keep their organic bodies for more than a century
the Crucible in their cybernetic forms to begin with. Logos itself remains or two anyway.
silent on the matter.
TECHNOLOGY
While some call Logos’s zealous commitment to advancing knowledge Logos technology is among the most advanced on the Crucible, and it
at any cost unethical, and describe some of their more inventive exper- is incorporated into every phase of their lives—indeed, it is rare to find a
iments as “deranged,” “catastrophic,” or “really very bad,” true Theorists Logotarian who doesn’t have Logos technology built into their bodies.
scoff at such backward thinking. They understand that the secrets of the Whether it’s mag-tethered floating limbs (for easy modularity) or a
Crucible are far more important than the lives of any one individual or quantum dissonance modulator (for…reasons), Logos machines are
city, and that no progress was ever made without a few naked singulari- built for every conceivable purpose and also for some that aren’t.
ty pinhole events warping local spacetime.
Because Logos is continually pushing the frontier of knowledge, many
of their technologies are experimental or prototypical; some are
never replicated because they do not work as well as desired (or work
entirely too well in the wrong way). Some of these “machines” may have
originated as organic beings—there is minimal ethics oversight on the
experiments of the Logotarians.
Many Logotarian machines incorporate æmber into
their function, either as a power source or to harness
some of its more esoteric properties. Others are
designed expressly to investigate and ana-
lyze æmber, a project which has remained
stubbornly difficult no matter how advanced
Logos’s science becomes.
ARCHONS
For Logos, archons are one of the ultimate
unsolved puzzles of the Crucible. They
eagerly study archons and are happy to
work with them to learn more of their
nature. Since archons are also generally
curious about their own nature, many
join in Logos’s quest for knowledge.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 18
MARS SOCIETY
Unlike many other factions on the Crucible, Mars remains committed to
Mars, as an empire, is exceptional in that it has genetic and cultural purity, that Mars may never die. Even before their
remained a more-or-less unchanged political and translocation to the Crucible, Mars was using genetic enhancement
cultural bloc after its relocation to the Crucible by the technology and extensive cloning to divide their culture into two dis-
Architects two centuries ago. Perhaps due to the fact tinct castes: the taller, more intelligent Elders, who rule over the smaller,
that the transition occurred during the final days of the weaker, and far more numerous Martian Soldiers.
Fall of Mars, or perhaps simply based on Mars’ rela-
tive-newcomer status, the Martian Empire has remained While the Soldier caste are expected to display utter loyalty to Mars and
intact on the Crucible. It is still under the control of the Martian Elders are discouraged (sometimes with cranial electro-correction) from devel-
and still aggressively dominating as much of the Crucible as they can oping unique personalities, Elders are varied in their areas of expertise
manage in their xenophobic crusade to ensure that Mars Lives On. and interest, and have considerable leeway to indulge their personal
desires. Some develop new biological weapons (whether plagues or
Now powered by æmber, rather than the cavorite that poisoned their horrifying monsters), some study the lesser beings and the Crucible,
home planet, Mars’s war machine has found some success, but also others archive Martian culture and history. Together, the Elders collec-
more difficult and dangerous foes than they could have expected. tively rule the Martian Empire—all for the glory of Mars!
New life forms on the Crucible mean more opportunities for Martian
biological engineers to breed a perfect monster. New elements, such TECHNOLOGY
as æmber, provide more fodder for Martian scientists and engineers. Martian technology was highly advanced when they were translocated
But Martian soldiers with their ray guns and Martian vehicles with their to the Crucible and, despite needing to completely re-invent itself for
blasters are not always victorious when pitted against Brobnar war- its new context, has only become more sophisticated since. Martian
riors or swarms of Niffle apes. For Mars to have true victory, they must soldiers go to war armed with powerful and mysterious weapons and
reclaim the skies with their flying saucers. Unfortunately, they have had piloting highly advanced, lethal walkers and ships, while genetical-
only limited success in rebuilding the Martian fleet, and some mysteri- ly-modified monstrosities are turned loose as a vanguard, hopefully
ous force keeps their spaceships from rising above the atmosphere. against the enemies of Mars. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, most Martian
technologies are either purpose-built for war, or soon turned to that
Still, by maintaining large cloning facilities and dropping their soldiers
purpose.)
into combat from hovering motherships, the relatively weak (in a phys-
ical sense) Martians have established themselves in Nova Hellas, and While Mars once relied on cavorite to power its rayguns and levitate
now control three entire cities. Tremble before the might of Mars! its flying saucers, it has found a suitable substitute in the æmber found
only on the Crucible. The psycho-reactive æmber seems to have
unlocked the psychic potential of the Martian race, and new experi-
ments in mind control, telepathy, and other psionic technologies prom-
ise great things for the Martian future.
ARCHONS
To the Elders of Mars, archons are both potential threat and ally. Their
wisdom and power is undeniable, but they carry with them an unde-
niable potential to corrupt Martian purity with their foreign ideas and
companions. Still, the threat is acceptable when the payoff is so high,
and so the Elders tolerate fraternization with the archons (not that they
have much of a choice). For their part, archons seldom get a chance
to explore a society that has remained so wholly itself. And of course
the gleeful belligerence of the Martian war machine is attractive in its
own way.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 19
SANCTUM SOCIETY
The religion of the Sanctum teaches that through meditation, learning,
Floating as if by magic above the surface of the Cruci- and spiritual growth, a being can become enlightened and transcend
ble are many large islands, improbable paradises their need for an earthly body. Many of the knights and the higher-rank-
of water, stone, and green growing things. Some ing clergy are spiritual beings of pure energy; indeed, the mighty suits
believe that these islands are but the beginnings of powered armor worn by the knights are necessary containment
of a new layer of the Crucible, to be assembled by devices for their spiritual selves, who otherwise could not affect the
the Architects over the following millennia; others spec- physical world at all. The gleaming wings and golden swords wielded
ulate that this new layer is already under construction and by the knights to such impressive effect are the spiritual (some might
these islands must be leftovers from that process. say “psychic”) projections of the believer’s will, made possible by use
In any case, many of these islands are governed by and collectively of the sacred æmber, and further evidence of the divine and spiritual
referred to as the Sanctum. A theocratic nation-state unified by their nature of all beings.
gnostic faith and protected by the angelic Knights of the Sanctum (as Most of Sanctum’s spirits can only manifest in the hallowed halls of their
well as various other knightly and crusading orders), the Sanctum is cathedrals or through the sacred armor of the knights. The most power-
safe, clean, and pleasant, which is a rare combination for any realm on ful spirits of the Sanctum, called “angels,” are no longer bound by such
the Crucible. Wherever the golden wings of their knights spread, the limitations, and seem to manifest their selves and will directly as beings
innocent and just can rest easy, knowing that they are protected by the of shining golden luminosity.
Church of the Opened Eye. (The definitions of the terms “innocent” and
“just”, of course, are determined by the Church itself.) There are still many creatures of flesh and blood within the Sanctum’s
ranks, however. Enlightenment is not found easily, and for many is
The bulk of the Sanctum’s flesh-and-blood adherents are human more about the journey than the destination. Some even profess that
beings, but certainly the Church of the Opened Eye does not have its Sanctum’s spirits were always energy beings and that Enlightenment
origins on the human homeworld. It’s possible that the Sanctum and and Transcendence are impossible, a scam that has been propagated
their faith were both created on the Crucible, perhaps in imitation of throughout the ages to oppress the masses, but such heretics are swiftly
the archons with which early adherents must have been familiar. If the silenced within the Sanctum itself.
scholars and Grey Monks know, they are not sharing those secrets with
the unenlightened. TECHNOLOGY
Sanctum’s signature technology is the glorious armor of its knights,
Although they are sometimes literally above earthly concerns, the
powerful cybernetic suits that make flesh-and-blood wearers stron-
Sanctum has regular communication with the world below. Missionar-
ger, healthier, and faster, and enable great feats on the part of
ies, ambassadors, and even merchants walk through the streets of the
knightly spirits.
Crucible’s villages and cities, or even travel to wild
and inhospitable places to bring the Sanc- Much of Sanctum’s technology relies on the “spiritual energy” of its
tum’s truth to the unenlightened. Usual- user, and æmber is incorporated to act as a conduit. For the knights,
ly, these travelers are welcomed, and this energy is often channelled into wings and halos of golden light,
when they are not, well, that’s what which give the warriors superior mobility and tactical awareness on the
the Knights are for. battlefield. Their weapons, too, are enhanced by golden energy, creat-
ing blades of pure light, shields that pulse with power, and other effects
that reflect and enhance a knight’s purpose.
Aside from their knights, much of the Sanctum seems almost pastoral in
its asceticism. The architecture is beautiful, but built with time-honored
techniques that date from ages past. Records are maintained by hand
and on paper, food is grown through honest toil, and in general virtue,
simplicity, and peace are valued. At least for the laity; the cathedrals
themselves are monuments to inner light and the glory of the Sanctum,
of course, and for them no expense shall be spared.
ARCHONS
The difference between a powerful Sanctum angel and an archon
seems subtle to the point of meaninglessness to most believers of the
Sanctum. From the point of view of the Church, archons are everything
they believe made manifest: a pure soul, a perfect consciousness free
of any limitations of physical form. Sanctum knights are eager to learn
from such beings, and the archons, for their part, are often eager to
be looked upon, treated, and worshipped as deities. Indeed, some
archons are even up to the task, and strive to enhance the spiritual lives
of their followers.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 20
SHADOWS SOCIETY
Most of the thieves in the Shadows are from the Svarr tribe of elves,
The Svarr elves that dwell in the Shadows are a motley a diminutive, dark, large-eyed people with wicked grins and sharp
collection of rogues, confidence artists, thieves, and senses. Clannish and suspicious of outsiders, the Svarr dominate every
sometime-assassins. Physically unimposing, the elves Shadows guild. Svarr can also be found living and working alongside
make up for it with speed, cleverness, and a light-fin- beings of all species in all sorts of places and under all sorts of creeds
gered approach to other people’s possessions and and governments. But these individuals may also be Shadows, because
technology. a good thief can blend in anywhere.
Loosely organized into a series of like-minded guilds, the Svarr are Humans and other aliens sometimes fall in with the Shadows guilds.
a curious mixture of selfish and selfless. They will sacrifice much for After all, crime isn’t unique to the Svarr and they’ll recruit any asset that
the good of their guild, and yet ruthlessly exploit any opportunities seems useful. Some of these recruits find themselves more at home in
presented by outsiders, robbing, cheating, and stealing for their own the Shadows than in their homelands, and eventually join a guild full-
advantage without hesitation or regret. time, where they are, after proving themselves, as welcome as any Svarr.
Svarr histories hold that they once dwelled in a land of light and peace, TECHNOLOGY
but were exiled to the Shadows, where they were forced to hide and
Most Shadows technology is stolen or scavenged from someone else
scavenge in order to survive. It isn’t clear whether this exile predates
and then repurposed for Shadows use. Some Shadows operatives have
their translocation to the Crucible or if the myth (if myth it is) is directly
even managed to reprogram the faeries that steward the Crucible’s
based on that translocation, but whatever the case they hold the story
biospheres, using them as scouts, saboteurs, assistants, and simply as
as justification for any and all misdeeds. Fortunately for the Svarr, they
pets (they are cute, after all).
are extremely talented in all arts of stealth, misdirection, and repurpos-
ing other people’s tools. If the Shadows have one piece of technology that is uniquely theirs, it is
their cloaks, clever stealth emitters that surround them with an invisibil-
Many are confused by what, precisely, the Shadows are—a nation, a
ity field. Shadows elves frequently wear the distinctive three-dot stealth
place, a state of mind? The Svarr are pragmatic about it: anyplace they
emitters all over their outfits for complete coverage of invisibility or illu-
hide, anyplace they do their business, that’s the Shadows. The best
sion technology, as required. Using their cloaks, the thieves and rogues
thieves can find the Shadows anywhere.
can always return to the Shadows whenever they need.
ARCHONS
The Svarr have a simple means of assessing anything that isn’t of their
guild: can it help, or is it a threat? Archons are clearly both, so they must
be approached with care. But if one can be turned to an ally, then the
dividends paid to the guild could be extreme. If nothing else, archons
can apparently speak to anyone or anything, so they can help arrange
deals and trades in the Shadows. Archons, who have to be introduced
to the concepts of “personal property” and “ownership” by others at
some point, find the Shadows interpretation of such concepts intrigu-
ing. The balance of “me first” and “anything for a mate” that defines
Svarr culture is one that many archons find eminently sensible.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 21
UNTAMED SOCIETY
Since the Untamed includes, by definition, every wild creature, plant, fungus,
The Architects brought together plants, animals, or other living thing on the Crucible, its diversity is impossible to overstate,
and other lifeforms from all across the universe to but we’ll try: it’s very diverse. As for the sentient beings best described as
populate their Crucible. In fact, they continue to do “people” (of whatever species), they have more commonalities. Some were
so, blending together alien biomes into something, raised in civilized societies and turned away from them. Others have only
if not quite harmonious, at least verdantly and bois- ever lived in the wild. All are more comfortable under the open sky of the
terously alive. Crucible than in the cities of stone and steel, more able to converse with the
The various wild creatures of the Crucible are tended to beasts and birds than with their fellow sentients.
by mechanical faeries, quirky automatons that do their best to keep a Some of these sentients, perhaps thanks to liberal consumption and use
semblance of balance in place. But while they struggle to maintain this of æmber, have developed a near-supernatural ability to speak not only to
balance, the faeries make no attempt to keep the wildlife segregated, animals, but to plants and fungus as well. Their abilities seem like magic, and
and so wolves from Earth may soon find themselves hunted by Martian many call these people “witches,” or by other names drawn from their own
snekgarrs, Niffle apes from Regulus Prime hang from the branches of mythologies. But they are harmless. Mostly.
the slow-blooming nepenthe tree of Visgard, and Alpha Centaurian
sugar ants are consumed by Venusian flytraps. (Not to be confused TECHNOLOGY
with the surprisingly-similar plants from Earth.) Over time, these species The Untamed as a whole do not use technology, since most scholarly
evolve to find a comfortable home on the Crucible, even blending distinctions between sentient being and wild beast revolve around its
and interbreeding with aliens where they find compatible biology use. Still, there is some blurriness at the edges, and while Niffle apes
(sometimes aided by faeries and the strange mutations wrought by may be considered animals, they do fashion crude jewelry and use
wild æmber). While some of these animals may still be recognizable simple tools when appropriate. The faeries of the wilderness are all
as similar to the beasts on their planets of origin, others are wholly and machines, as well, and there are some truly strange examples of syn-
forevermore creatures of the Crucible, and found nowhere else in the thetic life in the galaxy that confuse the line ever further.
universe.
Many of the sentients who might be considered Untamed have walked
Collectively, these wild creatures are referred to as the Untamed. away from most technology, but even in the wild places of the Crucible
Together with the humans and other sentients who reject civilization there are machines and tech to be scavenged and repurposed. Most
and retreat to the wild, they form a large and chaotic faction of their civilizations will eventually succumb to the wild, after all.
own. With no central organization (indeed, in many cases with no true
intelligence) to speak of, the only constant to the Untamed is that they ARCHONS
live true to their natures, whatever those natures may be. The minds of the animals present a unique test of an archon’s vaunted
ability to communicate with any denizen of the Crucible. Some are
drawn to the uncomplicated thought patterns of the Untamed, consid-
ering them a calming influence and a source of comfort. Other archons
are drawn to the sense of wild and natural freedom these creatures
exhibit. For the most part, the Untamed beasts are happy to ignore
anything that is neither predator nor prey, but some particularly social
animals (and people) enjoy the undemanding company of an archon
during their travels.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 22
ON RADIANT WINGS
by Daniel Lovat Clark
He felt the Vault’s presence like a chord that thrummed music through- determined that it had stood when this part of the world had been
out his body. Not that he had a body, exactly, not like the humans and added to the Crucible. Its makers were a mystery; perhaps they had not
the cyborgs and the creatures who followed him. In that way, at least, come along with their temple when the Architects brought it here.
he felt a closer kinship to the ethereal spirits of Sanctum, but their wispy
Zakiel, blind to these mysteries, continued speaking. “Miss ‘Onyx’
forms of pure psyche, bound as they were in heavy suits of knightly
Censorius,” he said. “She has her own cadre of warriors, demons, and
armor, were still more limited than him.
thieves.”
He could become anything. He knew that, felt that, deep inside. But
“A rival,” said Argus. He felt the music of the Vault shift, the chord tauten
becoming that anything—it was out of reach until he opened the Vault.
within him. The greater the struggle to open a Vault, the greater the
Some part of himself was still locked away, waiting for him to find it.
reward. Did the Vaults reveal themselves explicitly to provoke these
He could be anything, even wear a body for a time, but he couldn’t be,
challenges? Or did the rewards within shift in response to the difficulty
fully, until he was whole.
the Archon who opened it faced? He didn’t know. Who could guess
Argus pulled himself inward, fell back into the body-shape he wore the motives of the Architects? Perhaps that knowledge was locked in a
most often, radiant wings fluttering behind, white robes billowing Vault.
around a form held together by gleaming energy. It was an impressive
“We must act swiftly.” He could feel her now, reaching out, a dark and
look, and the reason they called him Radiant Argus the Supreme. He
dissonant presence. She was ahead of him, had already gathered
stepped forward, to where Sergeant Zakiel knelt with his dimmed aura.
Æmber for her first key. But if she opened the Vault, then that part of
“Rise,” Argus said, his voice thrumming through mind as much as air.
himself that was locked away would go to her instead. “Zakiel, find two
“There is another Archon near the Vault, sire,” said Zakiel, falling into of the batdrones and take to the sky. Strike down upon her coterie,
step alongside his Archon. Together, they walked past the remains of an while we gather the Æmber in this valley.”
ancient structure, plated in gold dataweave, part temple, part comput-
“It’s to be battle, then, my liege?” Zakiel asked, his aura flaring and his
er. Argus had been studying the ruin when he felt the Vault’s call, had
wings flickering into existence.
“It’s always battle,” Argus said, looking toward the Vault. Its song
grew louder still. “How else are we to forge our perfect selves in
the Crucible?

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 23
THE ORIGIN OF KEYFORGE CREDITS
Game Design: Richard Garfield
In the early days of trading card games, they were played in many ways
– and some of my favorite ways disappeared over time. Among those Game Development: Brad Andres, Skaff Elias, and Nate French
were sealed deck and league play. Both were awkward to manage with Daniel Schaefer
because cards had a tendency to get lost in one’s collection. Also, play- Producer: Erik Dahlman
ers could only play with trusted friends because it was easy to cheat by
Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark
improving one’s deck surreptitiously.
Editing: Adam Baker and Kevin Tomczyk
I have often wondered if I could get back some of that really exciting
play, which was characterized by tools that weren’t universal. Each play- Card Game Manager: Mercedes Opheim
er had treasures no other player had, but also had less powerful cards Story Manager: Katrina Ostrander
that needed to be used in clever ways to get the most value. One’s
sealed or league deck was never ideal – but it was unique, and there Graphic Design: Christopher Hosch with Monica Helland, Michael Silsby,
was a great deal of skill in getting the most out of it. and Neal W. Rasmussen
Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
While I enjoy constructing or drafting decks, I am often longing to play
cards that are not powerful enough to compete within these formats. Graphic Design Manager: Brian Schomburg
When playing with sealed or limited decks, these cards often become Cover and Concept Art: David Kegg
viable, since you can’t just replace them with top tier cards. I find special
pleasure in winning a game using cards that many people ignored Art Direction: Andy Christensen and Taylor Ingvarsson with
or overlooked. Crystal Chang

I have always been attached to good procedurally generated content. Managing Art Director: Melissa Shetler
Game worlds generated in this way really feel as if they belong to me, Technology Implementation: Lukas Adrian Peregrine and Evan Hall
the player – I am discovering them as I play; the designer didn’t even
Quality Assurance Coordinator: Zach Tewalthomas
know they existed. Often games without such content are extremely
managed experiences; everyone goes through the same story lines Production Management: Jason Beaudoin and Megan Duehn
and can experience the same gameplay by making the same decisions. Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz
Everything they experience feels planned. The contrast feels to me like
the difference between exploring a jungle and walking in an amuse- Senior Manager of Product Development: Chris Gerber
ment park. When trading card games first came out the feeling was like Executive Game Designer: Corey Konieczka
exploring a jungle – and as the cards became more like commodities, it
Publisher: Andrew Navaro
became more and more like an amusement park.
Special thanks to Koni Garfield for countless hours of playtest, support,
In the amusement park there are experts telling you how to play the
and good ideas.
game, the safest strategies, what net decks to use. In the jungle you
have the tools you have. There is every chance that you are going to be
the best in the world at playing your decks – you can’t just look up what
PLAYTESTERS
the synergies are or the weaknesses; you will only find out by playing. Aaron Haltom, Alex Davy, Allie, Andrew Aarestad, Andrew Fischer,
Andrew Gross, Benjamin Bottorff, Boyd Bottorff, Brian Weissman,
Welcome to the jungle! Brodie Bensend, Bryden Cole, Bubbles the Hammer, Caleb “Bulldog”
Grace, Carl Anderton, Carl Beyer, Chasina Beyer, Chris Bizzell Clough,
Richard Garfield Christopher Bates, CJ Heintz, Cyd Gardner, Damon Stone, Doug Keester,
April 2018 Edward West, Elliot Murray, Emeric Dwyer, Erika Baraišytė, Giedrius
Čeniauskas, Grace Holdinghaus, Ian Moore, Jacqueline Anderton, Jake
Ryan, Jason M. Wallace, Jason Walden, Jeremy “Niffle” Zwirn, Jim
Cartwright, Jim Lin, Jon Zierden, Josiah Leis, Julia Jannace, Katie Leis,
Kayli Ammen, Ken Uy, K.F.B. Fletcher, Kortnee Lewis, Liam MacDonald,
Luca Chilefone, Lukas Litzsinger, Luke Eddy, Margaret Miller, Martin
Vroom, Matrim Charlebois, Matt Lansdowne, Matthew “Ratt” Newman,
Matthew Pjecha, Matthew Watson, Michael Bernabo, Michael Boggs,
Micah Crosley, Miglė Pučetaitė, Nathan Gardner, Nathan Karpinski,
Nicholas Cyr, Nick Howard, Paul Klecker, Quinn Waller, Rick Reinhardt,
Reuben Fries, Ron Beyer, Russell Jones, Ryan Anthony Wolohan,
Schuyler Garfield, Scott Lewis, Sean Monson, Terance Taylor, Tim
Huckelbery, Tobin Lopes, Tony Fanchi, Ugnius Dovidauskas, Weston
Garrett Bradley, WiL Springer, and William Morton
Special thanks to all of our beta testers.

www.FantasyFlightGames.com

© 2018 Fantasy Flight Games. Fantasy Flight Supply and the Unique Game logo
are TM of Fantasy Flight Games. KeyForge, Fantasy Flight Games and the FFG
logo are ® of Fantasy Flight Games. Fantasy Flight Games is located at 1995
West County Road B2, Roseville, Minnesota, 55113, USA, 651-639-1905. Actual
components may vary from those shown. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY. NOT
INTENDED FOR USE BY PERSONS 13 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 24
ERRATA I have 2 chains and 5 cards in hand when moving to my draw cards
step. Will I shed a chain during this step?
This section contains the official errata that have been made to individual
Yes, you will shed a chain during this step. Chains are only shed when
cards in KeyForge. Errata overides the printed information on the card it
a player would draw cards during the draw step and the chains prevent
applies to.
them from doing so (see “Chains” on Page 8). You only have 5 cards in
hand, and normally you would draw a card to refill your hand. However
Library Access (COTA 115) because of the chains you are prevented from drawing that card. Since
you would normally have drawn the card and the chain prevented it, you
Should read: “Play: For the remainder of the turn, each time you play
then shed 1 chain.
another card, draw a card. Purge Library Access.”

Biomatrix Backup (COTA 208) I have chosen house Logos to be my active house this turn and start
off by playing Library Access (CoTA 115), I then play Wild Wormhole
Should read: “This creature gains,”Destroyed: Put this creature into its
(CoTA 125). In what order do I resolve this combination of effects?
owner’s archives.””
When you play a Wild Wormhole after playing a Library Access the
Bait and Switch (COTA 267) following happens in this order:

Should read: “Play: If your opponent has more A than you, steal 1A. 1. You gain 1 Æmber from Wild Wormhole’s Æmber bonus.
Repeat the preceding effect if your opponent still has more A than you.” 2. You draw a card from Library Access’s effect.
3. You resolve Wild Wormhole’s effect and play the top card of
Drummernaut (AOA 006) your deck.
4. You gain Æmber from any Æmber bonus on the played card.
Should read: “Play/Fight/Reap: Return another friendly Giant creature to 5. You draw a card from Library Access’s effect.
your hand.” 6. You resolve any play effects on the card played from the top of
your deck.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This section provides answers to a number of common questions that are I have the card Pitlord (CoTA 093) in play and my opponent plays
asked about the game. These questions are presented in a “Question the card Restringuntus (CoTA 094) and chooses house Dis. What
and Answer” format, with the newest questions at the end. happens when I try to declare my house on my next turn?
On your next turn, during the choose a house step, you will be in a
My opponent has 14 Æmber in their pool and I have 0 in mine. At position where you must choose house Dis (because of the Pitlord), but
the start of my turn I select Shadows as the active house and play also cannot choose house Dis (because of the Restringuntus). Cannot
the card Bait and Switch (CoTA 267). How many times does Bait and effects have precedence over must effects, thus you cannot choose Dis.
Switch trigger? (see “Cannot Vs Must” on Page 9.) You may still choose either one of
your other houses though.
In this situation, Bait and Switch’s effect will be triggered 2 times. When
the effect is triggered for the first time time it checks if your opponent
has more Æmber than you, and if they do it will repeat the first effect I have a Faygin (CoTA 300) in play and my opponent has an Urchin
again, stealing another Æmber. However, since the card says to repeat (CoTA 315) in play. I reap with Faygin and with its reap effect I
the preceding effect and not the whole effect it can only ever trigger choose my opponent’s Urchin. What happens?
twice. Faygin’s effect causes the Urchin to try and go into your hand, however
when a card leaves play it always goes to its owner’s corresponding out
Its the first turn of the game and I am going first. I choose house of play zone (See “Leaves Play” on Page 11) unless the card causing it to
Logos to be the active house and play the card Phase Shift (CoTA leave play specifies otherwise. The Urchin is returned to your opponent’s
117). Does this allow me to play another card this turn even though hand instead of yours.
the First Turn Rule (see page 5) is in effect?
Playing Phase Shift will allow you to play another card from your hand I have 0 Æmber in my Æmber pool and have chosen house Logos to
this turn, since the First Turn Rule can be modified by card effects. be my active house this turn. I play Wild Wormhole (CoTA 125) and
try and play the top card of my deck is Kelifi Dragon (CoTA 037).
Its the first turn of the game and I am going first. I choose house What happens?
Logos to be the active house and play the card Wild Wormhole The Kelifi Dragon is returned to the top of the deck. Kelifi Dragon has a
(CoTA 125). Can Wild Wormhole’s effect be resolved even though play requirement of needing to have 7 Æmber in your Æmber pool, and
the First Turn Rule (see page 5) is in effect? since you didn’t have any initially (you now have 1 from playing the Wild
Wild Wormhole’s effect can be resolved. The First Turn Rule specifies Wormhole) you don’t have enough to be able to play the Kelifi Dragon.
that players cannot play or discard more than one card from their hand. Since you can’t play the card it is returned to the place you tried to play
However it does not prohibit cards from being played or discarded from it from, in this case the top of the deck.
other game areas, such as your deck.
On my opponent’s turn they use their Yxilo Bolter (CoTA 204) to
I have 2 chains and 7 cards in hand when moving to my draw cards reap and choose to resolve its reap effect on my Bad Penny (CoTA
step. Will I shed a chain during this step? 296). Is the Bad Penny purged or does it end up back in my hand?
No, you will not shed a chain during this draw cards step. Chains are The Bad Penny goes back to your hand. “Destroyed:” effects (see
only shed when a player would draw cards during the draw step and the “Destroyed” on Page 10) happen immediately before a creature is
chains prevent them from doing so (see “Chains” on Page 8). Since you destroyed, meaning that Bad Penny is back in its owner’s hand before
already have 7 cards in your hand, you aren’t going to be drawing any the Yxilo Bolter can try to purge it with its reap effect. At that point,
cards, and thus don’t lose any of your chains. any pending effects waiting to resolve on Bad Penny no longer do. This

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 25
is because Bad Penny is moving to an out-of-play zone in which the
identity of cards is hidden from the opponent (see “Leaves Play” on I have an exhausted Bumpsy (CoTA 030) in play and my opponent
Page 11). has no creatures in their battleline. I play the card Anger (CoTA 001)
I have a stunned creature in my battleline, play the card Anger and choose to resolve it on Bumpsy. What happens?
(CoTA 001), and choose to resolve its effect on that stunned The Bumpsy will be readied by the effect of Anger, but since there are no
creature. What happens? enemy creatures in play it cannot be used to fight so it stays ready. The
If a card (such as Anger in this case) allows you to use a creature and creature can then be used as per the standard rules.
if the creature you are trying to use is stunned, you remove the stun
instead of doing anything else. Since Fighting is a type of being used the
creature is exhausted and the stun counter is removed. I control a Spangler Box (CoTA 132) that has purged my own Kelifi
Dragon (CoTA 037). The Spangler Box is returned to its owner’s
This will even work if your opponent has no creatures in play, because hand with Grasping Vines (CoTA 324), but I don’t have any Æmber.
unstunning replaces the normal “use” (in this case fight) of the card Do I get my Kelifi Dragon back?
before it begins.
Yes. The Kelifi Dragon is not being played when it is returned by the
Spangler Box, it is being put into play. Being put into play bypasses the
I have chosen house Logos to be my active house this turn and play normal play restrictions, meaning that the Kelifi Dragon is put back into
a Phase Shift (COTA 117) then play another copy of Phase Shift. play no matter how much Æmber you have.
How many non-Logos cards can I play this turn?
You can play two non-Logos cards this turn. Each copy of Phase Shift that I play Smaaash (CoTA 046), but each of my opponent’s creatures
you play allows you to play an additional non-Logos card. is already stunned. Do I have to resolve the effect against
Smaaash itself?
I have a Stealer of Souls (CoTA 098) in play and my opponent has a No. You may still choose to resolve Smaaash’s “Play:” effect against one
Valdr (CoTA 029). I use my Stealer of Souls to fight Valdr and both of your opponent’s creatures, however you cannot put a stun counter on
creatures are destroyed. Does the Stealer of Souls’ ability trigger? an already stunned creature so nothing will happen.
No, the Stealer of Souls’ ability will not trigger. In order for the Stealer of
Souls ability to trigger it must be in play, so if both the Stealer of Souls My opponent puts two of my creatures into their archives using the
and the creature it is fighting die, they die simultaneously and the Stealer card Sample Collection (CoTA 175). On my next turn I play the card
of Souls ability cannot trigger (see “Destroyed” on Page 10). Dysania (CoTA 141). What happens?
Playing the Dysania will cause each of your opponent’s archived cards
I have a Combat Pheromones (CoTA 180), “John Smyth” (CoTA to be discarded, however since the Sample Collection states that when
195), and Mindwarper (CoTA 196) in play. I sacrifice the Combat these creatures leave the archives they are put into their owner’s hand
Pheromones and reap with the Mindwarper, and then reap with instead these cards are returned to your hand. Since these cards were
“John Smyth” and use “John Smyth’s” reap effect to ready the not discarded by Dysania’s effect, you will not gain any Æmber from the
Mindwarper. Can I use the Mindwarper again? resolution of that effect.
Yes, Combat Pheromones is granting permission to use a creature
during that turn. If you have an effect that readies one of the Mars cards I have Shadow Self (CoTA 310) with a Raiding Knight (CoTA 255) as a
affected by the Combat Pheromones (Such as “John Smyth”), you will be neighbor. My Raiding Knight is then attacked by a 4 power creature.
able to use that card again. How much damage does each creature take in this situation?
In this case, the Shadow Self will take 2 damage, the Raiding Knight will
I play King of the Crag (CoTA 038) while my opponent has a Looter take no damage, and the 4 power creature will take 4 damage and be
Goblin (CoTA 041) in play. What happens? destroyed. This happens because before the damage can be dealt to
The rules for damage state that “If a creature has as much or more the Raiding Knight, two of it is prevented by its armor. Then when the
damage on it as it has power, the creature is destroyed and placed on damage is actually being dealt, the damage that would be dealt to the
top of its owner’s discard pile.” When a creature has 0 power, if it has 0 Raiding Knight is dealt to the Shadow Self instead. At the same time as
damage on it, it is destroyed. the Shadow Self is being dealt damage, the 4 power creature takes 4
damage from the Raiding Knight’s power.

My opponent has a Banner of Battle (CoTA 020) in play. Can I play

the card Poltergeist (CoTA 069) to destroy the Banner of Battle, I have a maverick Pitlord in play in a deck without house Dis. Am I
even if the artifact can’t be used? forced to choose house Dis as my active house?

Yes, you can resolve the effect of Poltergeist on any artifact in play even No. You cannot choose an active house unless it is on your identity card
if the artifact cannot be used. You just resolve as much of the card effect or you control a card of that house. This restriction overrides Pitlord’s
as you can (see “Resolve As Much As You Can” on Page 7), and to effect, allowing you to choose any of your houses as your active house.
resolve this situation you just destroy the artifact.
What happens if I use Spectral Tunneler on a non-flank creature
I have no creatures in play and my opponent has two. Can I play the (causing it to be considered a flank creature), then play Positron Bolt
card Lost in the Woods (CoTA 327) even though I don’t have two on that creature?
creatures in play? Positron Bolt will deal 3 damage to that creature. You will choose one of
Yes you can. The “Resolve As Much As You Can” rule (see Page 7) says
that you resolve as much of a card effect as possible and any part of a
card you cannot resolve is ignored. In the context of Lost in the Woods,
it means that you shuffle in as many of the creatures as you can. So in
the case that your opponent has two or more creatures in their battleline
and you have none, you will shuffle in two enemy creatures and no
friendly creatures.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 26
that creature’s neighbors to deal 2 damage to, and then deal 1 damage
to the other neighbor of that second creature.

If I use Gabos Longarms to attack a creature without elusive, can

I use Gabos’s “Before Fight” ability to deal damage to an elusive
creature instead, or will the elusive keyword prevent the damage?
Gabos Longarms can deal damage to an elusive creature using its ability.
The elusive ability prevents damage only when the creature is attacked—
because Gabos is not actually attacking the elusive creature, the elusive
keyword will not protect it.

What happens if I use Replicator to trigger the reap effect of an

opponent’s Sanctum Guardian?
Sanctum Guardian’s reap effect will do nothing. The effect would attempt
to swap Sanctum Guardian into your battleline, but a creature is only
allowed to be in its controller’s battleline. Since the effect does not also
change control of Sanctum Guardian, it fails to resolve.

If I play Mimicry as a copy of an action card in my opponent’s discard

pile, which card does the Rule of Six apply to?
For the purposes of the Rule of Six, you are considered to have played
the copied card.

I have Grasping Vines under Masterplan. If I use Masterplan’s “Omni”

effect to play Grasping Vines, can I return Masterplan to my hand
before it is sacrificed?
Yes. Masterplan’s effect allows you to play the card beneath it before
sacrificing Masterplan. Masterplan is still in play at the time you play
Grasping Vines, and therefore can be returned to your hand using
Grasping Vines’s effect.

KEYFORGE RULEBOOK 27